Status & Distribution - Spring Departures

This listing contains every species that has an expected departure date during springtime in Virginia Beach. Both winter residents (blue highlight), and spring & fall transients (yellow highlight, with lighter red referring to transients expected only in spring), can have spring departure dates since either type will be departing the area on their way further northward to breed. Spatial Distributions for each species may be accessed by selecting the links below, and these maps are available for the current migration season, so that the northward progression can be easily tracked. The Temporal Distribution column contains links to the seasonal line graphs at eBird, showing the report and abundance frequencies for each species over the prior 10 year period (2016-2025). Lastly, Status & Trends Models are included in the final column, and link to eBird-generated data which show population changes over time. If you wish to open multiple maps or charts into your browser, select the links with the roll wheel on your mouse and each will open in a new browser tab.

Filter: Spring Arrivals - Spring Departures - Fall Arrivals - Fall Departures


Species
Code		 Average Spring
Departure Date		 Spatial Distribution
(Current Season)		 Temporal Distribution
(Past 10 Years)
Status & Trends
Common Eider COEI 5 Feb Map Chart Models
Canvasback CANV 25 Feb Map Chart Models
Redhead REDH 5 Mar Map Chart Models
American Pipit AMPI 5 Mar Map Chart Models
Brant BRAN 15 Mar Map Chart Models
Long-tailed Duck LTDU 15 Mar Map Chart Models
Savannah Sparrow (Ipswich) SAVS 20 Mar Map Chart Models
Razorbill RAZO 25 Mar Map Chart Models
Fox Sparrow FOSP 25 Mar Map Chart Models
Snow Goose SNGO 30 Mar Map Chart Models
Northern Pintail NOPI 30 Mar Map Chart Models
Golden-crowned Kinglet GCKI 10 Apr Map Chart Models
Winter Wren WIWR 10 Apr Map Chart Models
Orange-crowned Warbler OCWA 10 Apr Map Chart Models
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker YBSA 15 Apr Map Chart Models
Brown Creeper BRCR 15 Apr Map Chart Models
Dark-eyed Junco DEJU 15 Apr Map Chart Models
Tundra Swan TUSW 20 Apr Map Chart Models
Northern Shoveler NSHO 20 Apr Map Chart Models
Lesser Scaup LESC 20 Apr Map Chart Models
White-winged Scoter WWSC 20 Apr Map Chart Models
Purple Sandpiper PUSA 20 Apr Map Chart Models
Purple Finch PUFI 20 Apr Map Chart Models
Saltmarsh Sparrow SALS 20 Apr Map Chart Models
American Wigeon AMWI 25 Apr Map Chart Models
Greater Scaup GRSC 25 Apr Map Chart Models
Virginia Rail VIRA 25 Apr Map Chart Models
American Woodcock AMWO 25 Apr Map Chart Models
Red-breasted Nuthatch RBNU 25 Apr Map Chart Models
Green-winged Teal GWTE 30 Apr Map Chart Models
Ring-necked Duck RNDU 30 Apr Map Chart Models
Hooded Merganser HOME 30 Apr Map Chart Models
Pied-billed Grebe PBGR 30 Apr Map Chart Models
Gadwall GADW 5 May Map Chart Models
Wilson's Snipe WISN 5 May Map Chart Models
Horned Grebe HOGR 5 May Map Chart Models
American Bittern AMBI 5 May Map Chart Models
Sharp-shinned Hawk SSHA 5 May Map Chart Models
Blue-headed Vireo BHVI 5 May Map Chart Models
Horned Lark HOLA 5 May Map Chart Models
Ruby-crowned Kinglet RCKI 5 May Map Chart Models
Sedge Wren SEWR 5 May Map Chart Models
Hermit Thrush HETH 5 May Map Chart Models
Pine Siskin PISI 5 May Map Chart Models
Blue-winged Teal BWTE 10 May Map Chart Models
Ruddy Duck RUDU 10 May Map Chart Models
American Coot AMCO 10 May Map Chart Models
Sora SORA 10 May Map Chart Models
Stilt Sandpiper STSA 10 May Map Chart Models
Pectoral Sandpiper PESA 10 May Map Chart Models
White-throated Sparrow WTSP 10 May Map Chart Models
Worm-eating Warbler WEWA 10 May Map Chart Models
Palm Warbler PAWA 10 May Map Chart Models
Bufflehead BUFF 15 May Map Chart Models
Common Nighthawk CONI 15 May Map Chart Models
Piping Plover PIPL 15 May Map Chart Models
Peregrine Falcon PEFA 15 May Map Chart Models
Veery VEER 15 May Map Chart Models
Nelson's Sparrow NESP 15 May Map Chart Models
Savannah Sparrow SAVS 15 May Map Chart Models
Swamp Sparrow SWSP 15 May Map Chart Models
Northern Waterthrush NOWA 15 May Map Chart Models
Black-and-white Warbler BAWW 15 May Map Chart Models
Hooded Warbler HOWA 15 May Map Chart Models
Black-throated Green Warbler BTNW 15 May Map Chart Models
Rose-breasted Grosbeak RBGR 15 May Map Chart Models
Black-necked Stilt YTWA 20 May Map Chart Models
Solitary Sandpiper SOSA 20 May Map Chart Models
Red-throated Loon RTLO 20 May Map Chart Models
Merlin MERL 20 May Map Chart Models
Gray-cheeked Thrush GCTH 20 May Map Chart Models
Baltimore Oriole BAOR 20 May Map Chart Models
Black-throated Blue Warbler BTBW 20 May Map Chart Models
Yellow-rumped Warbler YRWA 20 May Map Chart Models
Yellow-throated Warbler YTWA 20 May Map Chart Models
Scarlet Tanager SCTA 20 May Map Chart Models
Hudsonian Whimbrel HUWH 25 May Map Chart Models
Lesser Yellowlegs LEYE 25 May Map Chart Models
White-rumped Sandpiper WRSA 25 May Map Chart Models
Northern Harrier NOHA 25 May Map Chart Models
Bank Swallow BANS 25 May Map Chart Models
Swainson's Thrush SWTH 25 May Map Chart Models
Bobolink BOBO 25 May Map Chart Models
Dunlin DUNL 30 May Map Chart Models
Least Sandpiper LESA 30 May Map Chart Models
Bonaparte's Gull BOGU 30 May Map Chart Models
Northern Gannet NOGA 30 May Map Chart Models
American Redstart AMRE 30 May Map Chart Models
Magnolia Warbler MAWA 30 May Map Chart Models
Northern Yellow Warbler NYWA 30 May Map Chart Models
Blackpoll Warbler BLPW 30 May Map Chart Models
American Black Duck ABDU 5 Jun Map Chart Models
Short-billed Dowitcher SBDO 5 Jun Map Chart Models
Spotted Sandpiper SPSA 5 Jun Map Chart Models
Ruddy Turnstone RUTU 5 Jun Map Chart Models
Red Knot REKN 5 Jun Map Chart Models
Semipalmated Plover SEPL 10 Jun Map Chart Models
Semipalmated Sandpiper SESA 15 Jun Map Chart Models
Red-breasted Merganser RBME 30 Jun Map Chart Models
Surf Scoter SUSC 5 Jul Map Chart Models
Black Scoter BLSC 20 Jul Map Chart Models
Common Loon COLO 5 Aug Map Chart Models

References

Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, M. Smith, and C. L. Wood. 2024. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2024. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

Pyle, P. and D.F. DeSante. 2024. Four-letter (English Name) and Six-letter (Scientific Name) Alpha Codes for 2202 Bird Species (and 139 Non-Species Taxa) in accordance with the 65th AOS Supplement (2024), sorted taxonomically. The Institute for Bird Populations. Downloaded from https://www.birdpop.org/docs/misc/Alpha_codes_tax.pdf

Rottenborn, S.C. and E.S. Brinkley. 2007. Virginia’s Birdlife: An Annotated Checklist. Virginia Avifauna No. 7, Fourth Edition.

Sullivan, B.L., C.L. Wood, M.J. Iliff, R.E. Bonney, D. Fink, and S. Kelling. 2009. eBird: a citizen-based bird observation network in the biological sciences. Biological Conservation 142: 2282-2292.