Birds to See in District of Columbia in September
97 bird species on our list for District of Columbia are recorded regularly in September
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Blue Jay, Gray Catbird and Mourning Dove. New this month: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and 22 more.
On the move in September
GBIF · SepArriving
Rose-breasted GrosbeakRegular from September · Apr–May
Swainson's ThrushRegular from September · May
Black-throated Blue WarblerRegular from September · Apr–May
Bay-breasted WarblerRegular from September · May
Ruby-crowned KingletRegular from September · Sep–May
Palm WarblerRegular from September · Mar–May
At their peak
American RedstartBusiest month of the year · May
Common YellowthroatBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
Magnolia WarblerBusiest month of the year · May
Cape May WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–May
Chestnut-sided WarblerBusiest month of the year · May
Black-throated Green WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–May
Leaving soon
From District of Columbia’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 97 birds in September
97 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.97% in Sep
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 3.74% in Sep
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.63% in Sep
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisSummer visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 3.31% in Sep
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.14% in Sep
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.89% in Sep
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.79% in Sep
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 2.79% in Sep
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.75% in Sep
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in Sep
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.40% in Sep
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.31% in Sep- American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaPassage migrantCommon11–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 1.95% in Sep
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.85% in Sep- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.83% in Sep
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.76% in Sep
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in Sep- Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaPassage migrantCommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 1.40% in Sep
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in Sep
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Sep
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusResidentCommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Sep
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Sep
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Sep
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisSummer visitorCommon7–9 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.97% in Sep
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaSummer visitorCommon16–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.97% in Sep
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Sep- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusPassage migrantCommon18–22 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.95% in Sep
- Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.90% in Sep
Great White EgretArdea albaPassage migrantCommon80–104 cmRegularly Jun–Nov · 0.80% in Sep- Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaPassage migrantCommon10–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.79% in Sep
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Sep
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Sep
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.67% in Sep- Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensPassage migrantCommon11–12 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.67% in Sep
- Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusPassage migrantCommon16–20 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.67% in Sep
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Sep
VeeryCatharus fuscescensSummer visitorCommon16–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.56% in Sep
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaPassage migrantCommon10–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.52% in Sep- Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensPassage migrantCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.50% in Sep
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.48% in Sep
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Sep
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusSummer visitorCommon17–22 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.47% in Sep
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Sep
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Sep
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaPassage migrantCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.36% in Sep
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Sep
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Sep
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Sep- Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaPassage migrantUncommon14–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.31% in Sep
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorCommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.29% in Sep
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Sep- Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Sep
- Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.25% in Sep
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Sep
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.18% in Sep
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Sep
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Sep
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.17% in Sep
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.14% in Sep
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.14% in Sep
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusPassage migrantUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.13% in Sep
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.12% in Sep
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.12% in Sep
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.11% in Sep
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorCommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.11% in Sep
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.10% in Sep
Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimusPassage migrantUncommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.09% in Sep
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in Sep
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.09% in Sep
Northern Yellow WarblerSetophaga aestivaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.09% in Sep
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.08% in Sep
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Sep
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusPassage migrantUncommon16–20 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.07% in Sep
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.07% in Sep
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Sep
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Sep
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Sep
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.05% in Sep
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaPassage migrantRare10–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.05% in Sep
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.03% in Sep
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Sep
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Sep
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.02% in Sep
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Sep
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantRare23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.02% in Sep
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.02% in Sep
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Sep
Forster's TernSterna forsteriResidentUncommon33–36 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Sep
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.01% in Sep
Black TernChlidonias nigerPassage migrantRare22–26 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.01% in Sep
Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citreaSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.01% in Sep
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusPassage migrantUncommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.01% in Sep
DickcisselSpiza americanaPassage migrantRare14–16 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Sep
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioResidentRare16–25 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.00% in Sep
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantRare31–35 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.00% in Sep
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorRare46–63 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.00% in Sep
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaScarceRare24–28 cmRegularly Sep · 0.00% in Sep
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