Quick answer
Fall migration in the US runs from July into December, and most songbirds move between late August and October. Shorebirds start in July; among backyard birds, hummingbirds, orioles and swallows leave first, in August and September. Warblers, vireos and thrushes peak in September, sparrows and kinglets in October, and ducks, geese and winter visitors settle in during November. Birds pass northern states earlier than southern ones.
In this guide
Fall migration is long and gradual. It starts with shorebirds heading south in July, while it still feels like summer, and it trails off with the last ducks and geese in December. For backyard birds, the busy stretch runs from late August through October, with most songbirds peaking in September and early October.
Timing also shifts with latitude. Birds pass through the northern states first and reach the Gulf Coast later, and many birds that leave the North in fall simply spend the winter in the southern states rather than leaving the country.
Fall migration month by month
| Month | What is moving | What you may notice in the yard |
|---|---|---|
| August | Hummingbirds, orioles, swallows and Purple Martins, early warblers and flycatchers, shorebirds | Busier hummingbird feeders; orioles stop visiting jelly; swallows gathering on wires |
| September | Peak for warblers, vireos, thrushes, tanagers, grosbeaks and flycatchers; Broad-winged Hawks in the East; hummingbirds still moving | Small birds moving through trees with chickadee flocks; visitors at the bird bath; young birds in confusing plumage |
| October | Sparrows, kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Hermit Thrushes, blackbirds, Blue Jays, the first juncos, early ducks | Juncos and White-throated Sparrows under feeders; big blackbird flocks; hummingbirds mostly gone from the North |
| November | Ducks, geese, swans and cranes; late sparrows; winter finches in some years; wandering flocks of robins and bluebirds | Winter regulars settled at feeders; the southern states gain their winter visitors |
Treat the table as a guide for the middle of the country. In the northern states, from New England across the upper Midwest to the Northwest, each wave tends to come earlier. Along the Gulf Coast and in the far South it arrives later and lasts longer, because many birds stop there for the winter instead of continuing on. The West runs partly on its own schedule too: many mountain birds move downhill in fall as much as they move south, so juncos and chickadees can appear in foothill and valley yards once snow settles on the high country.
August: the early departures
Many birds are on the move before summer is over. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds begin drifting south in August; adult males usually leave first, with females and young birds following through September. In the West, Rufous Hummingbirds head south along the mountains from midsummer on and often turn up at feeders far from where they nested.
Orioles, Purple Martins, swallows and many flycatchers also leave in August and early September. The first warblers pass through, and shorebirds that started moving in July are still traveling along coasts and lakeshores.
Keep hummingbird feeders clean and full through this period. Feeders do not keep hummingbirds from migrating: they leave on their own schedule, driven mainly by day length. See hummingbird migration for their full journey, and when to take down hummingbird feeders for how long to keep yours up.
September: peak songbird migration
September is the heart of fall migration across most of the US. Warblers, vireos, thrushes, tanagers, flycatchers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks stream south, mostly at night. On the morning after a cold front passes, trees that were quiet the day before can be full of small, busy birds.
In the East, mid-September brings the big movement of Broad-winged Hawks, which travel in large circling flocks called kettles. Hummingbirds are still passing through, and in the southern states hummingbird activity at feeders often builds this month as birds from the North stop to refuel.
Fall warblers are famously tricky. Many adults have molted out of their bright spring colors, and first-year birds are duller still, so look at wing bars, eye rings, tail patterns and the color under the tail rather than hoping for a flash of bright yellow or orange.
October: sparrows, kinglets and the first juncos
October shifts from insect-eaters to seed-eaters and hardier birds. White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows, kinglets, Hermit Thrushes and Yellow-rumped Warblers are on the move over much of the country. Dark-eyed Juncos return to feeders across the North and middle of the country, a sure sign that winter is not far off; in the far South they arrive later, if at all.
Blue Jays travel in loose flocks in some areas, and big flocks of blackbirds, grackles and starlings gather in fields and at night roosts. Most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have left the northern states by early October, though a few linger. In some years, Red-breasted Nuthatches and other northern birds move south in numbers when seed crops fail up north.
November and later: waterfowl and winter arrivals
By November most songbird migration is winding down, but ducks, geese, swans and cranes are on the move, often pushed south as lakes and marshes freeze. American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds wander in flocks in search of berries; many do not go far and simply follow the food.
In the southern states this is when winter residents settle in: juncos, sparrows, kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers and sapsuckers. In the northern states, some winters bring Pine Siskins, redpolls and Evening Grosbeaks from Canada. The guide to what birds stay all winter covers the birds you can expect at feeders from now until spring.
What triggers fall migration
- Day length. Shortening days set off hormonal changes that make migrants restless and push them to put on fat. That is why birds leave on schedule even when food is plentiful.
- Weather. Birds wait for helpful winds. In fall, the clear skies and north winds behind a cold front often bring the biggest nights of migration.
- Food. Insect-eaters have to leave before cold weather takes away their food. Seed-eaters can wait longer, and many only go as far as they need to.
- Instinct. In many songbirds, young birds make their first migration without following adults, guided by an inborn sense of direction and timing.
Most songbirds migrate at night, when the air is calmer and cooler, then rest and feed during the day. Hawks, swallows and hummingbirds travel by day. Night migration shows up on weather radar, and migration forecasts built from radar data are published online during the season. The guide on how to track bird migration explains how to use them.
How to help migrating birds this fall
- Turn off outdoor lights you do not need at night in September and October. Bright lights draw night migrants off course and toward buildings. See bird migration and light pollution.
- Make windows safer. Screens, or markings on the outside of the glass spaced closely together, help birds see windows as solid.
- Put out water. A shallow bird bath draws tired migrants that never visit seed feeders.
- Leave the garden a little untidy. Seed heads, fallen leaves and berry-laden shrubs feed migrants and shelter the insects they eat.
- Keep cats indoors, especially around dawn and dusk.
- Keep feeders full and clean for juncos, sparrows and the first winter arrivals.
- Keep notes. Write down the last date you see each summer bird and the first date you see a junco or White-throated Sparrow. After a few years you will have a migration calendar for your own yard.
Questions people ask
What month do birds start migrating in the fall?
Some shorebirds start in July, and hummingbirds, orioles and swallows begin leaving in August. Most songbirds move from late August through October.
When is the peak of fall bird migration?
For most songbirds in the US, the peak is September into early October. Sparrows and kinglets peak later in October, and waterfowl in November.
Do bird feeders stop birds from migrating?
No. Migration is triggered mainly by day length, not by the food supply, so healthy birds leave on schedule even when feeders are full.
Do birds migrate at night?
Most songbirds do, resting and feeding during the day. Hawks, swallows and hummingbirds migrate in daylight.
Written by the Backyard Birdcam team with AI assistance. Found something we got wrong? Email shop@smarternewsnow.com and we will fix it. How we write our guides.
