WhenToBird

2 grosbeak species in Tennessee

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Tennessee?

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

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Blue Grosbeaks are the grosbeaks you are most likely to see in Tennessee. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Tennessee: they arrive in early September, peak in early October (17% of checklists), and most are gone by early November.

When to look

First arrivalsSep 1-7early September
Common bySep 1-7early September
PeakOct 1-7early October
Most gone byNov 1-7early November

Best: early October. First arrivals early September; most are gone by early November. Peak: on about 17% of Tennessee checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junnot usually seen
  7. Julnot usually seen
  8. Augnot usually seen
  9. Seppeak season
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Tennessee, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakSep 1-7Sep 1-7Oct 1-7Nov 1-717%
Blue GrosbeakApr 8-14Apr 22-30Aug 1-7Sep 1-713%
0%10%20%30%Rose-breasted GrosbeakBlue GrosbeakJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Blue 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Perry CountyBest early October · 119 checklists that week, 3,047 in all70%
  2. Weakley CountyBest early May · 95 checklists that week, 2,092 in all59%
  3. Houston CountyBest early October · 21 checklists that week, 1,234 in all58%
  4. Campbell CountyBest early October · 45 checklists that week, 3,619 in all50%
  5. Lewis CountyBest early May · 46 checklists that week, 1,364 in all46%
  6. Tipton CountyBest late April · 71 checklists that week, 1,603 in all44%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Tennessee?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Tennessee: they arrive in early September, peak in early October (17% of checklists), and most are gone by early November.
When do grosbeaks leave Tennessee?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Tennessee by early November, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Tennessee?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in early October, on about 17% of Tennessee checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Tennessee?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.