WhenToBird

Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Pheucticus ludovicianus

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Rhode Island?

Adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Photo: Nancy Overholtz, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Rhode Island: they arrive in late April, peak in mid May (15% of checklists), and most are gone by late June. They are the only regular grosbeaks in Rhode Island.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 22-30late April
Common byApr 22-30late April
PeakMay 15-21mid May
Most gone byJun 22-30late June

Best: mid May. First arrivals late April; most are gone by late June. Peak: on about 15% of Rhode Island checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Apruncommon
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Juncommon
  7. Juluncommon
  8. Augrare
  9. Seprare
  10. Octrare
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Grosbeaks in Rhode Island, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakApr 22-30Apr 22-30May 15-21Jun 22-3015%
0%5%10%15%20%Rose-breasted GrosbeakJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Rhode Island that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Rhode Island

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Providence CountyBest mid May · 1410 checklists that week, 40,898 in all22%
  2. Newport CountyBest mid May · 974 checklists that week, 33,574 in all18%
  3. Washington CountyBest the second week of May · 2010 checklists that week, 65,038 in all12%
  4. Kent CountyBest the second week of May · 569 checklists that week, 16,966 in all6.3%
  5. Bristol CountyBest mid May · 348 checklists that week, 15,899 in all4.2%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Rhode Island?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Rhode Island: they arrive in late April, peak in mid May (15% of checklists), and most are gone by late June. They are the only regular grosbeaks in Rhode Island.
When do grosbeaks leave Rhode Island?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Rhode Island by late June, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until late September.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Rhode Island?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in mid May, on about 15% of Rhode Island checklists.