Birds to See in Louisiana in October
150 bird species on our list for Louisiana are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Blue Jay, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Great White Egret and American Crow. New this month: Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Orange-crowned Warbler and Swamp Sparrow and 27 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
Ruby-crowned KingletRegular from October · Oct–Apr
Swamp SparrowRegular from October · Oct–Apr
Yellow-rumped WarblerRegular from October · Oct–Apr
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerRegular from October · Oct–Apr
Rose-breasted GrosbeakRegular from October · Apr–May
Orange-crowned WarblerRegular from October · Oct–Apr
At their peak
Magnolia WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–May
Marsh WrenBusiest month of the year · All year
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherBusiest month of the year · All year
Black-throated Green WarblerBusiest month of the year · Mar–May
MerlinBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Long-billed DowitcherBusiest month of the year · Jul–May
From Louisiana’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 150 birds in October
150 birds
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.14% in Oct
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.08% in Oct
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.03% in Oct
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 2.57% in Oct
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.08% in Oct
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.90% in Oct
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.87% in Oct
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.76% in Oct
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in Oct
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.62% in Oct
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisResidentCommon20–24 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Oct
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in Oct
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Oct
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Oct
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Oct- Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.05% in Oct
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisSummer visitorCommon7–9 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Oct
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Oct
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Oct
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Oct- Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.74% in Oct
Cattle EgretArdea ibisSummer visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Oct
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.70% in Oct
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaResidentCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Oct- Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.68% in Oct
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaPassage migrantCommon11–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.68% in Oct
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentCommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Oct
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusResidentCommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Oct
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Oct
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Oct
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Oct- Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaPassage migrantCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.53% in Oct
- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.49% in Oct
- Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisWinter visitorUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Oct
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaResidentUncommon29–40 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Oct
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.41% in Oct
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaPassage migrantUncommon10–13 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.38% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Oct
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.37% in Oct
Forster's TernSterna forsteriResidentCommon33–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Oct
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Oct
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentCommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaResidentUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Oct- Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusSummer visitorUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Oct
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorCommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Oct
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Oct- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusPassage migrantCommon18–22 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.28% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Oct- Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensPassage migrantUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.26% in Oct
- MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.26% in Oct
Northern Yellow WarblerSetophaga aestivaPassage migrantCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.25% in Oct- Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.25% in Oct
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.22% in Oct
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Oct- Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusWinter visitorUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.21% in Oct
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.21% in Oct
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Oct
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Oct
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.19% in Oct
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.19% in Oct
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusSummer visitorCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Oct
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.17% in Oct
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Oct
American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaResidentUncommon43–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Oct
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentUncommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.14% in Oct
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.14% in Oct
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Oct
Virginia RailRallus limicolaWinter visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.14% in Oct
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Oct
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Oct
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.13% in Oct
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.11% in Oct
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.11% in Oct
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Oct
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentUncommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.10% in Oct
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusSummer visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.10% in Oct
Painted BuntingPasserina cirisSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.10% in Oct
DickcisselSpiza americanaSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.09% in Oct
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusPassage migrantUncommon16–20 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.09% in Oct
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioResidentUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaSummer visitorUncommon33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
Piping PloverCharadrius melodusWinter visitorUncommon17–18 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.09% in Oct
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.09% in Oct
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Oct
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Oct
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusWinter visitorUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.09% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanPassage migrantUncommon32–36 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in Oct
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.07% in Oct
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaPassage migrantUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.07% in Oct
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in Oct
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaPassage migrantCommon16–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.07% in Oct
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.06% in Oct
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Oct
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusWinter visitorUncommon58–85 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in Oct
Red-cockaded WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus borealisResidentUncommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaWinter visitorCommon12–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Oct
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Oct
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentUncommon29–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.05% in Oct
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorSummer visitorUncommon45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaPassage migrantUncommon14–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in Oct
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaSummer visitorRare40–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.04% in Oct
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisWinter visitorUncommon20–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusSummer visitorUncommon23–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Oct
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusResidentRare15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaWinter visitorRare17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.03% in Oct
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoSummer visitorUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusWinter visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Oct
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorUncommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Oct
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorUncommon80–122 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisWinter visitorRare28–34 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.01% in Oct
Swan GooseAnser cygnoidesResidentRare81–94 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Oct
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Oct
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaPassage migrantUncommon24–28 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimusPassage migrantUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaPassage migrantRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Oct
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in Oct
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentRare140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmusPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Scaly-breasted MuniaLonchura punctulataWinter visitorRare11–12 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in Oct
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaPassage migrantUncommon28–32 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Oct
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorPassage migrantRare22–24 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentRare16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaPassage migrantRare10–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaWinter visitorRare16–26 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 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