60 birds were recorded seen in Massachusetts in August in our iNaturalist sample; 18 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top birds in August
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
American Herring Gull
American Goldfinch
Laughing Gull
Semipalmated Plover
Red-tailed Hawk
Mallard
Black-capped Chickadee
House Sparrow
Osprey
All birds seen in Massachusetts in August
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies | 1,288 | Apr (past peak) |
| 2 | Double-crested Cormorant | Nannopterum auritum | Cormorants and Shags | 1,237 | Aug (peak) |
| 3 | Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns | 1,175 | May (past peak) |
| 4 | American Herring Gull | Larus smithsonianus | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers | 1,170 | Aug (peak) |
| 5 | American Goldfinch | Spinus tristis | Finches, Euphonias, and Allies | 1,126 | Aug (peak) |
| 6 | Laughing Gull | Leucophaeus atricilla | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers | 992 | Aug (peak) |
| 7 | Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | Plovers and Lapwings | 970 | Aug (peak) |
| 8 | Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | Hawks, Eagles, and Kites | 909 | Apr (past peak) |
| 9 | Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Ducks, Geese, and Swans | 906 | Apr (past peak) |
| 10 | Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice | 776 | Apr (past peak) |
| 11 | House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Old World Sparrows | 757 | Apr (past peak) |
| 12 | Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Ospreys | 754 | Apr (past peak) |
| 13 | Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | Mockingbirds and Thrashers | 752 | May (past peak) |
| 14 | Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | Cardinals and Allies | 734 | Apr (past peak) |
| 15 | Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | Crows, Jays, and Magpies | 732 | Apr (past peak) |
| 16 | Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | Ducks, Geese, and Swans | 701 | Apr (past peak) |
| 17 | Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | Pigeons and Doves | 696 | Apr (past peak) |
| 18 | Great Black-backed Gull | Larus marinus | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers | 685 | Aug (peak) |
| 19 | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | Hummingbirds | 674 | Aug (peak) |
| 20 | Great Egret | Ardea alba | Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns | 616 | Aug (peak) |
| 21 | Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers | 589 | Aug (peak) |
| 22 | American Robin | Turdus migratorius | Thrushes | 573 | Apr (past peak) |
| 23 | Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | New World Sparrows | 546 | Apr (past peak) |
| 24 | Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers | 545 | Aug (peak) |
| 25 | Semipalmated Sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | Sandpipers and Allies | 543 | Aug (peak) |
| 26 | Green Heron | Butorides virescens | Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns | 541 | Aug (peak) |
| 27 | Downy Woodpecker | Dryobates pubescens | Woodpeckers | 465 | Apr (past peak) |
| 28 | Sanderling | Calidris alba | Sandpipers and Allies | 414 | Aug (peak) |
| 29 | Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | Sandpipers and Allies | 380 | Aug (peak) |
| 30 | Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | Ducks, Geese, and Swans | 375 | Apr (past peak) |
| 31 | White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | Nuthatches | 357 | Apr (past peak) |
| 32 | Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | Tyrant Flycatchers | 342 | May (past peak) |
| 33 | Tufted Titmouse | Baeolophus bicolor | Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice | 339 | Apr (past peak) |
| 34 | Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | Tyrant Flycatchers | 333 | Apr (past peak) |
| 35 | Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | Waxwings | 332 | Jun (past peak) |
| 36 | Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns | 331 | Aug (peak) |
| 37 | Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | Woodpeckers | 321 | Apr (past peak) |
| 38 | Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | Sandpipers and Allies | 319 | Aug (peak) |
| 39 | European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Starlings | 312 | Apr (past peak) |
| 40 | Cooper's Hawk | Astur cooperii | Hawks, Eagles, and Kites | 299 | Dec (rising) |
| 41 | Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Sandpipers and Allies | 290 | Aug (peak) |
| 42 | Piping Plover | Charadrius melodus | Plovers and Lapwings | 288 | Jun (past peak) |
| 43 | Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | New World Sparrows | 282 | Apr (past peak) |
| 44 | Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | New World Blackbirds and Orioles | 281 | Apr (past peak) |
| 45 | House Finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | Finches, Euphonias, and Allies | 275 | Apr (past peak) |
| 46 | Least Tern | Sternula antillarum | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers | 270 | Jun (past peak) |
| 47 | Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | Sandpipers and Allies | 267 | Aug (peak) |
| 48 | Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | Mockingbirds and Thrashers | 263 | Apr (past peak) |
| 49 | Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | Ducks, Geese, and Swans | 261 | Apr (past peak) |
| 50 | Barred Owl | Strix varia | Typical Owls | 254 | May (past peak) |