Common Birds in Massachusetts
Our list for Massachusetts has 78 common birds recorded regularly there: 28 residents, 27 summer visitors, 18 winter visitors and 5 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · Oct
Share of all bird records in Massachusetts in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 78, most common first
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusSummer visitorCommon17–22 cmRegularly May–Sep
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Oct
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaSummer visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly May–Oct
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Oct–May
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaSummer visitorCommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusSummer visitorCommon18–22 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorCommon48–60 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorCommon33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–May
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensSummer visitorCommon11–12 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Nov
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