WhenToBird

3 grosbeak species in Texas

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Texas?

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

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Blue Grosbeaks, and Black-headed Grosbeaks are the grosbeaks you are most likely to see in Texas. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Texas: the first show up in the second week of April, they are common by mid April, peak in late April (11% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of May.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 8-14the second week of April
Common byApr 15-21mid April
PeakApr 22-30late April
Most gone byMay 8-14the second week of May

Best: late April. First arrivals the second week of April; most are gone by the second week of May. Peak: on about 11% of Texas 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. Sepnot usually seen
  10. Octrare
  11. Novrare
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Texas, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakApr 8-14Apr 15-21Apr 22-30May 8-1411%
Blue GrosbeakApr 1-7Apr 8-14May 1-7Sep 15-217.6%
Black-headed GrosbeakApr 22-30Apr 22-30May 8-14Sep 8-141.5%
0%5%10%15%Rose-breasted GrosbeakBlue GrosbeakBlack-headed GrosbeakJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Blue Grosbeak
  • Black-headed 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 Texas 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 Texas

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Jefferson CountyBest late April · 3142 checklists that week, 23,503 in all33%
  2. Galveston CountyBest late April · 16711 checklists that week, 129,637 in all28%
  3. Angelina CountyBest early May · 313 checklists that week, 10,009 in all28%
  4. Morris CountyBest early May · 88 checklists that week, 2,618 in all25%
  5. Brazoria CountyBest late April · 2405 checklists that week, 38,709 in all25%
  6. Sabine CountyBest early May · 75 checklists that week, 1,870 in all24%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Texas?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Texas: the first show up in the second week of April, they are common by mid April, peak in late April (11% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of May.
When do grosbeaks leave Texas?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Texas by the second week of May, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid May.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Texas?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in late April, on about 11% of Texas checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Texas?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, and Black-headed Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.