Birds to See in New Jersey in May
159 bird species on our list for New Jersey are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, Red-winged Blackbird and Mourning Dove. New this month: American Redstart, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover and Common Tern and 33 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
Northern Yellow WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
Great Crested FlycatcherBusiest month of the year · Apr–Sep
Baltimore OrioleBusiest month of the year · Apr–Jan
OvenbirdBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
Rose-breasted GrosbeakBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
Prothonotary WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–Sep
From New Jersey’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 159 birds in May
159 birds
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.53% in May
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in May
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisSummer visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 2.37% in May
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.34% in May
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.16% in May
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in May
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaResidentCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in May
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.72% in May
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in May
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.61% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in May
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in May
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.35% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.30% in May- Northern Yellow WarblerSetophaga aestivaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.29% in May
- Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusSummer visitorCommon17–22 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.27% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in May
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorCommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.15% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in May
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in May- Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 1.11% in May
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in May
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in May
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in May
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in May- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.00% in May
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in May
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in May
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaSummer visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.84% in May
Great White EgretArdea albaSummer visitorCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in May
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in May
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.75% in May
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in May
Forster's TernSterna forsteriSummer visitorCommon33–36 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.73% in May
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in May
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in May
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in May
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisSummer visitorCommon7–9 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.57% in May
Purple MartinProgne subisSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.55% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in May
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaSummer visitorCommon16–19 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.52% in May- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusSummer visitorCommon18–22 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.50% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in May
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in May
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorUncommon33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.46% in May
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in May
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.44% in May
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in May
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.41% in May
VeeryCatharus fuscescensSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.40% in May
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.40% in May
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaResidentCommon29–40 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.37% in May
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensPassage migrantUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.37% in May
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusSummer visitorCommon48–66 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.36% in May
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.36% in May
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusSummer visitorUncommon23–32 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.34% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaPassage migrantCommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.33% in May
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorCommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.31% in May
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.30% in May
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in May
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in May
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.25% in May
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.25% in May
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaResidentUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in May
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in May
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesSummer visitorCommon23–27 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.24% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.23% in May
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.22% in May
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in May
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.21% in May
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiSummer visitorCommon13–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.20% in May
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.19% in May
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusPassage migrantUncommon16–20 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.19% in May
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in May
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in May
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.17% in May
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.17% in May
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in May
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in May- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citreaSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.14% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.12% in May
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaPassage migrantUncommon14–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.12% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.11% in May
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.11% in May
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.11% in May
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.11% in May
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.11% in May
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusSummer visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.10% in May
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.09% in May
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaSummer visitorUncommon33–42 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.09% in May
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusSummer visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.08% in May
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.08% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusWinter visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in May
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.07% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorCommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in May
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in May
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaPassage migrantUncommon10–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.07% in May
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in May
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.06% in May
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorCommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in May
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.06% in May
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.06% in May
Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmusSummer visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.06% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in May
Piping PloverCharadrius melodusSummer visitorUncommon17–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.05% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.05% in May
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.05% in May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.05% in May
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentRare43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.04% in May
Virginia RailRallus limicolaResidentUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in May
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in May
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.03% in May
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.03% in May
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioResidentUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in May
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.03% in May
Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimusPassage migrantRare16–17 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.03% in May
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantUncommon41–46 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.02% in May
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in May
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.02% in May
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaPassage migrantRare10–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in May
Cattle EgretArdea ibisSummer visitorRare46–56 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.02% in May
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusWinter visitorUncommon58–85 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.02% in May
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in May
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaPassage migrantRare18–23 cmRegularly May · 0.02% in May
Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorumSummer visitorRare13–17 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.02% in May
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaSummer visitorRare40–51 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.01% in May
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantRare18–19 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentRare50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in May
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentRare29–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiSummer visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.01% in May
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaPassage migrantRare33–39 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.01% in May
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorUncommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
DickcisselSpiza americanaSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in May
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.01% in May
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.01% in May
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in May
Black TernChlidonias nigerPassage migrantUncommon22–26 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.00% in May
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusSummer visitorRare41–50 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.00% in May
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.00% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorRare30–38 cmRegularly Nov–Jul · 0.00% in May
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantRare20–32 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.00% in May
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaWinter visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorRare38–44 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.00% in May
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorRare15–17 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.00% in May
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.00% in May
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in May
Little GullHydrocoloeus minutusPassage migrantRare25–30 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.00% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.00% in May
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusSummer visitorRare86–230 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.00% in May
BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatusPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.00% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserSummer visitorRare75–90 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.00% in May
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