| Migration and nesting dates for Ontario bird species |
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Migration and nesting dates
Official web site of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas
We hope that this list will help you determine whether a species in your square is still migrating through or is within its normal breeding period.
The early and late dates for nesting define the period during which nesting can be expected to occur. (They are the earliest and latest records known for that species in the Southern Great Lakes region.) The "late migration date" is to show that although most birds move through the area before that date, some can still be passing through at that time.
For example, osprey can still be passing through until May 30, although that is unusual. Yet the earliest nest record for this species is May 1. What this means is, be careful about assigning a potential breeding code (possible, probably, confirmed) until after May 30 unless you have good evidence the bird is nesting (i.e., found mating with another osprey; sitting on a nest; etc.).
| Species | Early nest date | Late migration date | Late nest date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Loon | May-15 | May-15 | Aug-01 |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Apr-29 | Apr-30 | Aug-01 |
| Red-necked Grebe | May-15 | May-10 | Sep-01 |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Apr-15 | Aug-15 | |
| American Bittern | May-01 | Aug-01 | |
| Least Bittern | May-01 | Aug-01 | |
| Great Blue Heron | Apr-15 | Aug-15 | |
| Great Egret | Apr-20 | Aug-01 | |
| Green Heron | May-01 | Aug-15 | |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Apr-20 | Sep-01 | |
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | |||
| Turkey Vulture | Apr-25 | May-05 | Sep-15 |
| Canada Goose | Mar-25 | Jun-10 | |
| Mute Swan | Apr-01 | Jul-01 | |
| Wood Duck | Mar-28 | Jul-01 | |
| Gadwall | Apr-15 | May-10 | Jul-15 |
| American Wigeon | May-01 | Apr-30 | Jul-15 |
| American Black Duck | Apr-01 | Apr-15 | Jul-01 |
| Mallard | Apr-01 | Apr-20 | Jul-01 |
| Blue-winged Teal | Apr-20 | Jul-15 | |
| Northern Shoveler | May-15 | May-10 | Jul-01 |
| Northern Pintail | Apr-15 | May-05 | Jul-01 |
| American Green-winged Teal | May-15 | May-05 | Jul-15 |
| Canvasback | May-15 | Apr-20 | Jul-15 |
| Redhead | May-15 | Apr-30 | Jul-01 |
| Ring-necked Duck | May-20 | Apr-30 | Jul-01 |
| Lesser Scaup | May-20 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Hooded Merganser | Apr-01 | Apr-25 | Jun-15 |
| Common Merganser | May-01 | May-10 | Jul-01 |
| Red-breasted Merganser | May-10 | May-25 | Jul-01 |
| Ruddy Duck | May-24 | May-05 | Aug-15 |
| Osprey | May-01 | May-30 | Sep-01 |
| Bald Eagle | Feb-15 | Jul-15 | |
| Northern Harrier | Apr-24 | May-15 | Aug-15 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | May-01 | May-10 | Aug-01 |
| Cooper's Hawk | Apr-15 | May-10 | Aug-01 |
| Northern Goshawk | Apr-01 | Aug-01 | |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Apr-01 | May-05 | Aug-01 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | Apr-20 | May-20 | Aug-01 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Mar-01 | Aug-01 | |
| American Kestrel | Apr-01 | Apr-30 | Aug-01 |
| Merlin | May-01 | May-15 | Aug-01 |
| Peregrine Falcon | Apr-01 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Gray Partridge | May-01 | Jul-01 | |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Apr-06 | Jul-01 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Apr-15 | Jul-01 | |
| Wild Turkey | May-07 | Aug-01 | |
| Northern Bobwhite | May-15 | Sep-15 | |
| King Rail | May-15 | Jul-01 | |
| Virginia Rail | May-04 | Jul-15 | |
| Sora | May-01 | Aug-01 | |
| Common Moorhen | May-01 | Aug-15 | |
| American Coot | May-01 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| Sandhill Crane | Apr-15 | Jul-15 | |
| Piping Plover | May-01 | Aug-01 | |
| Killdeer | Apr-01 | Jul-15 | |
| Spotted Sandpiper | May-07 | Jul-15 | |
| Upland Sandpiper | May-07 | Jul-15 | |
| Common Snipe | Apr-24 | May-10 | Aug-01 |
| American Woodcock | Apr-01 | Jun-15 | |
| Wilson's Phalarope | May-10 | Jul-01 | |
| Little Gull | May-20 | Jun-05 | Jul-15 |
| Ring-billed Gull | Apr-15 | Jun-05 | Jul-15 |
| California Gull | May-01 | Jul-15 | |
| Herring Gull | Apr-01 | Jun-05 | Jul-15 |
| Great Black-backed Gull | Apr-15 | May-20 | Jul-01 |
| Caspian Tern | May-01 | Jul-15 | |
| Common Tern | May-01 | Aug-15 | |
| Forster's Tern | May-15 | Jul-01 | |
| Black Tern | May-07 | Aug-01 | |
| Rock Dove | Jan-01 | Dec-31 | |
| Mourning Dove | Mar-01 | Oct-01 | |
| Black-billed Cuckoo | May-15 | Jun-10 | Sep-01 |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | May-15 | Jun-15 | Sep-01 |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Apr-01 | Jul-01 | |
| Great Horned Owl | Feb-01 | Jun-01 | |
| Long-eared Owl | Apr-01 | Jul-15 | |
| Short-eared Owl | Apr-15 | Aug-01 | |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Apr-07 | Jun-01 | |
| Common Nighthawk | May-20 | May-31 | Aug-15 |
| Chuck-will's-widow | May-20 | Aug-01 | |
| Whip-poor-will | May-20 | May-31 | Aug-01 |
| Chimney Swift | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Aug-15 |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | May-25 | Jun-05 | Sep-01 |
| Belted Kingfisher | May-01 | Jul-15 | |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | May-01 | May-31 | Sep-01 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | May-01 | May-31 | Jul-01 |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | May-01 | May-05 | Jul-15 |
| Downy Woodpecker | May-01 | Aug-01 | |
| Hairy Woodpecker | May-01 | Jul-15 | |
| Northern Flicker | May-01 | May-05 | Sep-01 |
| Pileated Woodpecker | May-15 | Jul-15 | |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Jul-15 |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | May-15 | Jun-05 | Sep-01 |
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Jul-15 |
| Acadian Flycatcher | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Aug-15 |
| Alder Flycatcher | Jun-10 | Jun-05 | Aug-15 |
| Willow Flycatcher | Jun-10 | Jun-05 | Aug-15 |
| Least Flycatcher | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Aug-15 |
| Eastern Phoebe | Apr-15 | Apr-30 | Aug-15 |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | May-20 | Jun-05 | Aug-01 |
| Eastern Kingbird | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Sep-01 |
| Loggerhead Shrike | Apr-01 | May-20 | Aug-01 |
| White-eyed Vireo | Jun-01 | May-20 | Jul-01 |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | Jun-01 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| Blue-headed Vireo | Jun-01 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Warbling Vireo | May-20 | Jul-15 | |
| Philadelphia Vireo | May-31 | ||
| Red-eyed Vireo | May-20 | Jun-05 | Aug-15 |
| Blue Jay | Apr-15 | Aug-01 | |
| American Crow | Mar-03 | Jul-01 | |
| Common Raven | Mar-15 | Jun-15 | |
| Horned Lark | Mar-20 | Aug-01 | |
| Purple Martin | May-20 | Aug-15 | |
| Tree Swallow | May-01 | Aug-15 | |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | May-01 | May-31 | Aug-15 |
| Bank Swallow | May-01 | May-31 | Aug-15 |
| Cliff Swallow | May-15 | May-25 | Aug-15 |
| Barn Swallow | May-15 | May-25 | Sep-01 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Apr-25 | Aug-15 | |
| Tufted Titmouse | May-15 | Jul-15 | |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | May-01 | May-25 | Jul-01 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | May-01 | May-15 | Jul-01 |
| Brown Creeper | May-15 | May-05 | Jul-15 |
| Carolina Wren | Apr-01 | Aug-15 | |
| House Wren | Apr-07 | May-20 | Sep-01 |
| Winter Wren | May-20 | May-10 | Sep-01 |
| Sedge Wren | Jun-01 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Marsh Wren | May-15 | Apr-30 | Aug-01 |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Jun-01 | May-15 | Jul-15 |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Jun-01 | Jul-15 | |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | May-15 | Jul-15 | |
| Eastern Bluebird | Apr-10 | Sep-01 | |
| Veery | May-15 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Swainson's Thrush | Jun-07 | Jun-05 | Jul-15 |
| Hermit Thrush | May-24 | May-10 | Aug-01 |
| Wood Thrush | May-01 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| American Robin | Apr-10 | May-05 | Sep-01 |
| Gray Catbird | May-15 | May-31 | Aug-15 |
| Northern Mockingbird | May-23 | Jun-05 | Aug-15 |
| Brown Thrasher | May-01 | May-25 | Aug-15 |
| European Starling | Mar-30 | Aug-15 | |
| Cedar Waxwing | Jun-01 | Jun-10 | Sep-01 |
| Blue-winged Warbler | May-24 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Golden-winged Warbler | May-24 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Lawrence's Warbler | May-25 | ||
| Brewster's Warbler | May-25 | ||
| Tennessee Warbler | May-31 | ||
| Nashville Warbler | May-24 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Northern Parula | May-25 | ||
| Yellow Warbler | May-15 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | May-24 | May-31 | Aug-01 |
| Magnolia Warbler | Jun-01 | May-31 | Jul-15 |
| Cape May Warbler | Jun-01 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler | Jun-01 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | May-24 | May-20 | Aug-01 |
| Black-throated Green Warbler | Jun-01 | May-31 | Aug-01 |
| Blackburnian Warbler | Jun-01 | May-31 | Jul-01 |
| Pine Warbler | Jun-01 | May-10 | Jul-01 |
| Prairie Warbler | Jun-01 | May-25 | Jul-01 |
| Bay-breasted Warbler | May-31 | ||
| Cerulean Warbler | May-24 | May-25 | Jul-01 |
| Black-and-white Warbler | May-24 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| American Redstart | May-24 | Jun-05 | Aug-01 |
| Prothonotary Warbler | May-25 | May-31 | Aug-01 |
| Ovenbird | May-25 | May-31 | Aug-01 |
| Northern Waterthrush | May-25 | May-31 | Jul-15 |
| Louisiana Waterthrush | Jun-01 | May-20 | Jul-15 |
| Kentucky Warbler | |||
| Mourning Warbler | May-25 | Jun-10 | Aug-01 |
| Common Yellowthroat | May-25 | May-31 | Aug-01 |
| Hooded Warbler | Jun-01 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| Wilson's Warbler | Jun-05 | ||
| Canada Warbler | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Aug-01 |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | Jun-01 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| Scarlet Tanager | May-24 | May-31 | Jul-15 |
| Eastern Towhee | May-05 | May-20 | Sep-01 |
| Chipping Sparrow | May-10 | May-20 | Aug-15 |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | May-15 | Aug-15 | |
| Field Sparrow | May-10 | May-15 | Aug-15 |
| Vesper Sparrow | May-01 | Apr-30 | Aug-15 |
| Savannah Sparrow | May-01 | May-20 | Aug-15 |
| Grasshopper Sparrow | May-01 | May-25 | Aug-15 |
| Henslow's Sparrow | May-01 | Aug-15 | |
| Le Conte's Sparrow | |||
| Song Sparrow | Apr-20 | May-05 | Sep-01 |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | May-15 | May-30 | Aug-01 |
| Swamp Sparrow | May-01 | May-20 | Aug-01 |
| White-throated Sparrow | May-20 | May-15 | Aug-01 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | Apr-24 | Apr-30 | Aug-01 |
| Northern Cardinal | Apr-15 | Sep-01 | |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | May-10 | May-25 | Jul-15 |
| Indigo Bunting | Jun-01 | Jun-05 | Sep-15 |
| Dickcissel | Jun-01 | Aug-01 | |
| Bobolink | May-20 | May-31 | Jul-15 |
| Red-winged Blackbird | Apr-20 | Aug-01 | |
| Eastern Meadowlark | May-20 | May-05 | Aug-01 |
| Western Meadowlark | May-20 | Aug-01 | |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | May-15 | Aug-01 | |
| Rusty Blackbird | Jun-01 | May-10 | Aug-01 |
| Brewer's Blackbird | May-15 | Aug-01 | |
| Common Grackle | Apr-10 | Jul-15 | |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | May-01 | May-15 | Aug-01 |
| Orchard Oriole | May-20 | May-25 | Aug-01 |
| Baltimore Oriole | May-20 | May-31 | Aug-15 |
| Purple Finch | May-15 | May-20 | Aug-15 |
| House Finch | Apr-01 | Aug-15 | |
| Red Crossbill | Jan-01 | Dec-31 | |
| White-winged Crossbill | Jan-01 | Dec-31 | |
| Pine Siskin | Apr-07 | May-20 | Jul-15 |
| American Goldfinch | Jun-01 | Sep-15 | |
| Evening Grosbeak | Jun-01 | May-20 | Aug-01 |
| House Sparrow | Apr-01 | Sep-15 |
This page was revised on 12 January 2005
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