When do grosbeaks leave West Virginia?

Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left West Virginia by the second week of October, when reports fall below half their usual rate.

When is the best time to see grosbeaks in West Virginia?

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 13% of West Virginia checklists.

Which grosbeaks are in West Virginia?

Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.

2 grosbeak species in West Virginia

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in West Virginia?

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 West Virginia. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in West Virginia in mid April, peak in the second week of May (13% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 15-21mid April

Common byApr 15-21mid April

PeakMay 8-14the second week of May

Most gone byOct 8-14the second week of October

Best: the second week of May. First arrivals mid April; most are gone by the second week of October. Peak: on about 13% of West Virginia checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Marnot usually seen
Aprcommon
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Juluncommon
Auguncommon
Seppeak season
Octcommon
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in West Virginia, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Apr 15-21	Apr 15-21	May 8-14	Oct 8-14	13%
Blue Grosbeak	May 1-7	May 1-7	Aug 8-14	Sep 8-14	1.6%

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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak

Wetzel CountyBest mid September · 25 checklists that week, 1,196 in all55%
Brooke CountyBest late May · 10 checklists that week, 594 in all42%
Jackson CountyBest early May · 42 checklists that week, 1,317 in all40%
Summers CountyBest early July · 96 checklists that week, 5,370 in all35%
Ritchie CountyBest the second week of May · 80 checklists that week, 3,552 in all35%
Marshall CountyBest the second week of May · 34 checklists that week, 895 in all25%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in West Virginia?: Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in West Virginia in mid April, peak in the second week of May (13% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.
When do grosbeaks leave West Virginia?: Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left West Virginia by the second week of October, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in West Virginia?: The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 13% of West Virginia checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in West Virginia?: Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.