When do juncos leave New Hampshire?

Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave New Hampshire: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid April, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.0% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see juncos in New Hampshire?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of February, on about 44% of New Hampshire checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in New Hampshire?

Photo: Jimmy Dee, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Dark-eyed Juncos are in New Hampshire all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in the second week of February (44% of checklists), and fall back by mid April. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 3.0% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildOct 8-14the second week of October

PeakFeb 8-14the second week of February

Fall back byApr 15-21mid April

FewestAug 22-31late August

Best: the second week of February. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of October and fall back by mid April. Peak: on about 44% of New Hampshire checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Mayuncommon
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Augrare
Sepuncommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Juncos in New Hampshire, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Oct 8-14	Oct 8-14	Feb 8-14	Apr 15-21	44%

Dark-eyed Junco

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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Cheshire CountyBest mid December · 1418 checklists that week, 39,834 in all59%
Hillsborough CountyBest the second week of February · 1125 checklists that week, 50,125 in all56%
Merrimack CountyBest late November · 623 checklists that week, 36,980 in all51%
Strafford CountyBest the second week of February · 861 checklists that week, 41,888 in all48%
Carroll CountyBest late October · 711 checklists that week, 30,580 in all46%
Coos CountyBest mid October · 391 checklists that week, 27,719 in all43%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in New Hampshire?: Dark-eyed Juncos are in New Hampshire all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in the second week of February (44% of checklists), and fall back by mid April. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 3.0% of checklists.
When do juncos leave New Hampshire?: Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave New Hampshire: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid April, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.0% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see juncos in New Hampshire?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of February, on about 44% of New Hampshire checklists.