WhenToBird

2 grosbeak species in Wisconsin

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Wisconsin?

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

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Wisconsin in late April, peak in mid May (35% of checklists), and most are gone by mid September. They are by far the most reported grosbeaks in Wisconsin.

When to look

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

Best: mid May. First arrivals late April; most are gone by mid September. Peak: on about 35% of Wisconsin checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Apruncommon
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julcommon
  8. Auguncommon
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octrare
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Wisconsin, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakApr 22-30Apr 22-30May 15-21Sep 15-2135%
Evening GrosbeakNov 1-7Nov 1-7Dec 1-7Apr 15-211.2%
0%10%20%30%40%Rose-breasted GrosbeakEvening GrosbeakJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Evening 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Florence CountyBest mid May · 314 checklists that week, 10,179 in all67%
  2. Washburn CountyBest mid May · 255 checklists that week, 7,099 in all65%
  3. Crawford CountyBest the second week of June · 139 checklists that week, 4,271 in all63%
  4. Richland CountyBest the second week of May · 327 checklists that week, 6,936 in all62%
  5. Taylor CountyBest mid May · 107 checklists that week, 4,326 in all62%
  6. Vernon CountyBest early June · 379 checklists that week, 13,255 in all61%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Wisconsin?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Wisconsin in late April, peak in mid May (35% of checklists), and most are gone by mid September. They are by far the most reported grosbeaks in Wisconsin.
When do grosbeaks leave Wisconsin?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Wisconsin by mid September, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early October.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Wisconsin?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in mid May, on about 35% of Wisconsin checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Wisconsin?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Evening Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.