10 birds migrating through North Carolina this fall

Photo courtesy of Richard Crossley

By Dorothy Scott

Every corner of North Carolina can see migrating birds in the fall, and we’ve gathered 10 you don’t want to miss.

You don’t need us to tell you that our fair North Carolina is one of the best animal-watching states in the U.S., but it bears repeating (pun absolutely intended).

Because of the state’s diverse biomes, from the ocean to the mountains and everything in between, North Carolina sees a vast array of bird species flying south for the winter (kind of like your Grandpa William’s winter timeshare in Florida). These range from beach-faring sandpipers to ocean-basking tundra swans and even the HPIC — that’s Head Predator in Charge — the all-American hawk. These are just a few of the birds you’ll see coming and going this fall, though.

Without further ado, let’s get into some of the most interesting birds you can spot in North Carolina as the leaves change colors and wrap the mountains and beaches alike in a ruby coat. (Yes, that’s a hint at one of the birds to come.)

1. American Oystercatcher

The American oystercatcher is a fun yet cute chimera of a bird. Parts of it look like a duck, parts look like a pelican, and other parts still look like your everyday bird you’d see singing outside your bedroom window (aka not one found by the water like the previous two). It’s characterized by a long, orange beak that almost looks like it’s from a horror movie, as well as big, attentive eyes. Its down is brown on top and white on the bottom, and the feathers on their heads are black. In many ways, their color scheme is exactly that of many hawk species, but if you find a bird with this color scheme hunting an oyster, it’s probably not a hawk.

According to the National Audubon Society, American oystercatchers hang out along North Carolina’s coast, and they migrate in the earlier portion of fall. However, this species is interesting because it’s one of the few native and non-native to North Carolina. Each fall, the resident birds migrate away for the winter, while non-resident American oystercatchers swoop into the state for their migration. Technically, this means they can be seen in the state year-round, but in the fall, you can really see them in action — some coming and some going. The National Audubon Society suggests viewing them at Fort Fisher, Rachel Carson Reserve, and Masonboro Island.

Photo courtesy of CC BY-SA 4.0.

2. Broad-Winged Hawk

Hawks are some of the most notorious migrating birds in North Carolina, with testimonies of watching them flee and return dating back decades — and those are only the ones on record. We don’t need to go too into detail regarding what a hawk looks like, as they’re pretty synonymous with American birdwatching, but for the uninitiated, all you need to know is that these majestic, taloned creatures are typically dark brown on top with white stomachs. They have larger heads than you might originally assume, with the color of their heads skewing reddish-brown, especially when the sun hits them just right. Finally, their tails are black and white, providing pops of contrast from the rest of their bodies.

According to the Forsyth Audubon Society, the prime date range to view these hawks’ migration is between September 20 and September 30, though there’s some wiggle room. Other raptor species you can see migrating in the fall in North Carolina include the black vulture, bald eagle, red-shouldered hawk, and peregrine falcon, among others. Altogether, the raptor family’s migration typically lasts through the middle of October, and while there are undoubtedly many great places to watch them throughout the state, one of the best is Little Pinnacle at Pilot Mountain State Park. You can post up high with a bird’s-eye view of the, well, birds.

Photo courtesy of USFWS Midwest Region.

3. Sanderling

Sanderlings are some of the smallest birds on this list, and as their name implies, these squart cuties find their joy on the beach. Sanderlings tend to enjoy the cold — to a point — living and breeding in the Arctic before taking up residence along North Carolina’s coasts in the winter. Like other Arctic animals — think polar bears — their color scheme is pretty light, matching the fresh snow sheets that cover their biome. Their undersides are white, while their outer plumage is a very-light shade of brown and gets somewhat darker as it reaches their tiny tails. Their beaks are long and skinny, and their overall shape is very chick-like, color not included.

Fun fact: If you’ve visited beaches in the winter before, you’ve potentially seen sanderlings before, as they’re known to populate coasts worldwide in the winter after fleeing the Arctic. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some specific places you may be able to get good views of them in North Carolina. One Redditor posted a captivating shot of one on the Ocracoke Island beach, and The Outer Banks are also known to house many throughout the colder months.

Photo courtesy of Ray Hennessy/Unsplash.

4. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

The ruby-throated hummingbird is a radiant species, but if you plan on scoping it out this fall, you need to be aware of one crucial fact: Only males in this species have the signature red throat. Female ruby-throated hummingbirds share the rest of this species’ color scheme — a stunning emerald-green body (that sometimes appears green-gold) with tufts of white on the chest — but simply lack the ruby collar that the males tout.

According to the Durham-based non-profit Triangle Land Conservancy, ruby-throated hummingbirds flee from the Tar Heel State for the winter, so throughout fall, you’ll be able to see them gearing up for a warmer winter in Mexico and Central America. These little cuties are small, and though their hearts beat incredibly quickly, which undoubtedly helps keep them warm, they need warmer climates to survive in the winter. Luckily for us, that means fall is the prime time to see them, and then you can re-experience the joy they bring when they return the following spring. One of the best spots to see them is the North Section of Durham’s Brumley Nature Preserve.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

5. Black-Bellied Plover

The black-bellied plover is one of the first migrating birds you can spot in the fall, as this species actually starts arriving in North Carolina in late July. Similar to sanderlings, black-bellied plovers breed in the Arctic but mosey on down the North and South American coasts for the winter so they don’t freeze. They’re also similar to sanderlings in shape and size, with their color being the biggest noticeable difference. As their name suggests, black-bellied plovers’ undersides range from dark gray to black, and their top plumage boasts plenty of white as contrast. In fact, their top feathers vary in shades of white, brown, and black so much that these birds almost look like they’re painted in animal print — think cheetah print or zebra print — from far away.

When looking for black-bellied plovers, look for their signature black tummies. But where can you find them? In general, they reside by the coast from August to October, and according to The Carolina Bird Club, these birds have been seen en masse in the past at places like North River Farms in Carteret County and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. The resource website also notes that they’re often found on mudflats, so if you target mudflats at either of those locations, you may just strike gold. Or, you know, you can just hang out at the beach, and you could see one stroll by. Just take caution around black-bellied plovers, as they can become frightened and flee quicker than other birds.

Photo courtesy of Dick Daniels/CC BY-SA 3.0.

6. Swamp Sparrow

We’ve already used the word “squart” to describe sanderlings, but if any other bird on this list could use an affectionate adjective, it would be the swamp sparrow. While “swamp” admittedly doesn’t sound cute, the swamp sparrow is a tiny, round bird covered in feathers in all shades of white, brown, gray, and black — and it’s adorable. Some even have a small patch of reddish-brown feathers on the top of their heads. Its beak is tiny, too, helping to give it away.

When searching for swamp sparrows, stick closer to sources of water — are you sensing a theme for migrating birds yet? — though you can also find these cotton ball-like birds further inland, hiding in brambles. These birds typically arrive on the North Carolina scene in October and stay for the winter before returning home. More specifically, you can find them around Raleigh as part of the Piedmont region, per the National Audubon Society, as well as around the Tidewater and Sandhills regions of the state, according to The Carolina Bird Club.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Cole Schneider/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

7. Dark-Eyed Junco

The dark-eyed junco is another type of sparrow that migrates to North Carolina beginning in October each year, but it couldn’t look any different from the swamp sparrow. Where the swamp sparrow is colorful and rounder, the dark-eyed junco is muted and thinner. Not all juncos look the same, but their heads are generally gray, while their undersides are white. Their top plumage can be gray, white, or light tan. Unlike some of the other birds on this list, this bird is seen nationwide fairly regularly — some Redditors have even discussed the difference between the dark-eyed juncos who are visible year-round in Oregon versus those only seen in winter in North Carolina — but North Carolinians are more likely to see it during the fall specifically, as that’s when it migrates to the region for the winter.

The dark-eyed junco shares a lot of viewing spots with the swamp sparrow, too. They’re common across the Piedmont region, including Raleigh, and according to The Carolina Bird Club, they’re common in the Tidewater region of the state as well. The rest of the year, these juncos live in the mountains, so if you’d like to see them in, say, the summer, you’d just need to commit to some driving or hiking to bring your birdwatching fantasy to life.

Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Anderson/CC BY 3.0.

8. Tundra Swan

Those not from North Carolina — and some from our state — might be surprised to see tundra swans on this list. After all, North Carolina isn’t in a tundra, and people often associate our state with the ocean and not swan-filled lakes. But that’s all going to change when you head inland and view these beautiful babes in action. According to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, tundra swans can be viewed during the fall migration season at three key spots in the state: the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge in Rodanthe, the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge in Swan Quarter, and the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Columbia.

Much like hawks, swans don’t really require an introduction or description. Still, it’s worth noting that tundra swans appear just as you likely envision them; they’re snow-white with a black-and-yellow beak, and they, like all swans, have notoriously long wingspans. This snow-white complexion reflects where they come from; they fly in from Canada’s Arctic Coastal Plain for the winter, meaning you should see them arrive later in the fall. You can start the season by watching the hawks and end it with the arrival of the swans — what could be better than that?

Photo courtesy of Maga-chan/CC BY-SA 2.5.

9. Red Knot

The red knot, like the ruby-throated hummingbird and black-bellied plover before it, is aptly named. This ocean-loving bird decks its underside out in red during its breeding season earlier in the year, but while you might catch glimpses of red during the fall, you’re more likely to see its normal white feathers throughout the cooler months. But is this species one that migrates into North Carolina or out? We’re glad you asked. Unlike our previous entry, the red knot is native to the region and leaves North Carolina for the winter, so throughout fall, you’ll see this brown-feathered friend flocking around the coast as it prepares to begin its journey to warmer pastures (er, coasts).

If you’re in North Carolina, there are a few good places where you can see red knots. As laid out by the National Audubon Society, the Cape Lookout National Seashore and Cape Point at Cape Hatteras National Seashore are prime spots for red knots, as is the Fort Fisher State Recreational Area. The Carolina Bird Club also cites Portsmouth Island and Ocracoke Island as excellent viewing sites. Just be sure to catch these ones before winter gets too close since this one’s leaving the state.

10. Western Sandpiper

Coming in at just half a foot long, the western sandpiper is a smaller species on this list, but it might actually be one of the easiest to spot while birdwatching. That’s because flocks of this species can contain hundreds of western sandpipers at once, creating a dark curtain over the ocean not unlike “The Crowening” from “Schitt’s Creek.” That said, while they can look dark once gathered, western sandpipers actually look like sand in color, growing much lighter coats of feathers than other small birds on this list, like the sanderling or black-bellied plover. Western sandpipers’ beaks also appear to be a little longer.

These sandpipers call North Carolina home throughout September and October. While most of them are only strangers passing through, some do inevitably stay throughout the winter instead of traveling further south, so you could have some birdwatching luck in the following months, too. But where should you look? One Redditor had luck finding a western sandpiper on Wrightsville Beach, with another Redditor commenting that you should always look for a “bill with a tip droop and slight bulge at [the] end.” Generally, you want to look at inlets in the central and southern portions of the state, as The Carolina Bird Club notes that the state’s northern counties are far less likely to see sandpiper action.