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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Massachusetts

Our list for Massachusetts has 228 bird species recorded regularly there: 37 residents, 57 summer visitors, 76 winter visitors, 53 passage migrants and 5 scarce visitors

The list comes from 23 million birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Species on our list
228
In October
166
Common
78
Busiest month
May

What's special about Massachusetts

vs United States

The birds recorded far more often here than across United States, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones Massachusetts is worth visiting for.

  1. Manx ShearwaterManx Shearwater12×Summer visitor · 0.04% of records here, 0.00% across United States
  2. Roseate TernRoseate Tern9.5×Summer visitor · 0.06% of records here, 0.01% across United States
  3. EiderEider9.4×Winter visitor · 0.72% of records here, 0.08% across United States
  4. Great ShearwaterGreat Shearwater9.3×Passage migrant · 0.08% of records here, 0.01% across United States
  5. RazorbillRazorbill6.7×Winter visitor · 0.09% of records here, 0.01% across United States
  6. Great CormorantGreat Cormorant5.5×Winter visitor · 0.11% of records here, 0.02% across United States
  7. Great Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed Gull4.6×Resident · 1.2% of records here, 0.26% across United States
  8. Mute SwanMute Swan4.4×Resident · 0.95% of records here, 0.22% across United States

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. Blue JayBlue Jay4.66%
  2. Song SparrowSong Sparrow3.14%
  3. American CrowAmerican Crow2.87%
  4. Northern CardinalNorthern Cardinal2.83%
  5. American RobinAmerican Robin2.75%
  6. Downy WoodpeckerDowny Woodpecker2.63%

Arriving now

  1. Pine SiskinPine SiskinWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.28%
  2. Red-breasted MerganserRed-breasted MerganserWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.18%
  3. Ruddy DuckRuddy DuckWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.15%
  4. Red-throated LoonRed-throated LoonWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.14%
  5. Hooded MerganserHooded MerganserWinter visitorSep 0.04% → Oct 0.14%
  6. Brent GooseBrent GooseWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.10%

Share of all bird records in Massachusetts in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for Massachusetts

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in Massachusetts

Records by month
Bird records in Massachusetts by month, 2019–2024
January1,392,422
February1,248,192
March1,684,201
April2,580,516
May4,703,427
June1,921,772
July1,558,843
August1,711,521
September1,729,328
October1,797,512
November1,437,782
December1,443,598

May has the most records (4.7 million). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 29
All 29 families in Massachusetts

How common

More of United States

All of United States

All 228 birds, A to Z

Show all 228 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Massachusetts known for?

Compared with the rest of United States, Massachusetts stands out for Manx Shearwater, Roseate Tern, Eider and Great Shearwater. Each is recorded at least 9.2 times as often here as across United States, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for Massachusetts?

228 species, each recorded regularly in Massachusetts (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 37 residents, 57 summer visitors, 76 winter visitors, 53 passage migrants and 5 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Massachusetts, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Massachusetts in October?

166 species on our list for Massachusetts are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are Blue Jay, Song Sparrow, American Crow, Northern Cardinal and American Robin.

What are the most common birds in Massachusetts?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Massachusetts are Blue Jay, American Robin, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal and Tufted Titmouse.

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

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