Birds to See in Puerto Rico in October
83 bird species on our list for Puerto Rico are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Mockingbird, White-winged Dove, Great White Egret, Rock Dove and Red-tailed Hawk. New this month: Common Yellowthroat, Cape May Warbler, Palm Warbler and Northern Shoveler and 17 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
At their peak
Blackpoll WarblerBusiest month of the year · Sep–Nov
Northern WaterthrushBusiest month of the year · Aug–Apr
OvenbirdBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Prothonotary WarblerBusiest month of the year · Sep–Mar
Magnolia WarblerBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Swainson's ThrushBusiest month of the year · Oct
From Puerto Rico’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 83 birds in October
83 birds
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in Oct
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentCommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 2.95% in Oct
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 1.91% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.55% in Oct
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Oct
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentCommon29–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Oct
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Oct
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Oct- Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–Nov · 0.92% in Oct
OspreyPandion haliaetusWinter visitorCommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Oct- Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.83% in Oct
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorCommon23–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Oct
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.69% in Oct
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Oct
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Oct
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisResidentCommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Oct
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.60% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorCommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Oct
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaWinter visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.47% in Oct
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaWinter visitorCommon29–40 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
Scaly-breasted MuniaLonchura punctulataResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentCommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Oct
Red JunglefowlGallus gallusResidentUncommon42–75 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Oct
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.34% in Oct
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasWinter visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.32% in Oct- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.32% in Oct
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusWinter visitorCommon18–23 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.28% in Oct
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.26% in Oct
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsResidentUncommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Oct
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.25% in Oct
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–Nov · 0.21% in Oct
WilletTringa semipalmataResidentUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Oct
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusWinter visitorUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Oct- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citreaWinter visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.16% in Oct
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusWinter visitorCommon23–32 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.15% in Oct
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Oct
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.15% in Oct
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.14% in Oct
Common TernSterna hirundoWinter visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.14% in Oct
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Oct
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisResidentUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Oct- Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.11% in Oct
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.10% in Oct
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.10% in Oct
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaPassage migrantUncommon24–28 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.06% in Oct
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentUncommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaPassage migrantRare16–19 cmRegularly Oct · 0.05% in Oct
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaWinter visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Oct
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusPassage migrantRare16–20 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaWinter visitorRare10–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Oct
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Oct- Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusPassage migrantRare16–20 cmRegularly Oct · 0.03% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorRare52–64 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Oct
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusResidentUncommon34–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Oct
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.03% in Oct
Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimusPassage migrantRare16–17 cmRegularly Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.02% in Oct
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisPassage migrantRare20–24 cmRegularly Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaPassage migrantRare10–13 cmRegularly Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusPassage migrantRare18–22 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Oct
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaPassage migrantRare14–14 cmRegularly Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaPassage migrantRare33–42 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusResidentRare34–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentRare50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorRare43–54 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorPassage migrantRare22–24 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.01% in Oct
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.01% in Oct
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorRare34–38 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.01% in Oct
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriPassage migrantRare38–42 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.00% in Oct
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made