Sharing is caring!

While snow still blankets parts of the country, some birds are already making their way back from warmer climates. These early arrivals signal the changing seasons and bring welcome life to your yard when you need it most. Here are nine species that often show up well before spring officially begins.

Red-winged Blackbird

Top Amazon Find

Birdfy Solar Powered Bird House with Camera

Check Price

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. 12/17/2025 1:20 pm GMT ⓘ

Red-winged Blackbirds are among the earliest migrants to return, often appearing in late February or early March while winter still has its grip on the landscape. Males arrive first, establishing territories in marshes, wetlands, and even roadside ditches with their distinctive “conk-la-ree” call. Those brilliant red and yellow shoulder patches make them impossible to miss as they perch prominently on cattails and fence posts. While they prefer wetland habitats for nesting, they’ll readily visit backyard feeders, especially if you live near water. Offer mixed seed or cracked corn on platform feeders to attract them. Their early return is driven by competition for the best nesting spots, and seeing these bold black birds is one of the first reliable signs that migration season has begun. Once males establish their territories, females follow within a few weeks to complete the picture.

American Robin

American Robins are often misunderstood as purely migratory birds, but the truth is more complex. While many northern robins do head south, others simply shift to different habitats, moving from lawns to wooded areas where they feed on berries throughout winter. By late February and into March, robins become visible again in yards and parks, giving the impression they’ve just returned. Early arriving robins are often males searching for prime nesting territories before competition heats up. You’ll see them hopping across lawns, cocking their heads to locate earthworms in the soil. To welcome them back, keep part of your lawn pesticide-free to protect their food supply. Plant berry-producing shrubs like winterberry holly or serviceberry for cold-weather food sources. A heated birdbath also helps, since robins need water year-round and early spring can still bring freezing temperatures that lock up natural water sources.

Killdeer

Killdeer are hardy shorebirds that return to open fields, gravel lots, and suburban lawns surprisingly early, sometimes as soon as late February in the southern parts of their range. These vocal plovers are easy to identify by their double black breast bands and their loud, piercing “kill-deer” call that echoes across open spaces. Unlike most shorebirds, Killdeer have adapted well to human-modified landscapes and often nest in driveways, athletic fields, and parking lots. Their early return is remarkable considering they nest on bare ground, where late-season snowstorms are still possible. If you have open lawn areas or gravel paths, you might host nesting Killdeer. They don’t visit feeders, but they appreciate short grass where they can hunt for insects and invertebrates. Keep dogs leashed during nesting season, and if you discover a nest, give it space—Killdeer are famous for their broken-wing distraction displays to protect their young.

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebirds are among the most welcome early returnees, often appearing in late February through March depending on your location. Some bluebirds remain year-round in milder climates, while others migrate short distances and return early to claim the best nest boxes. Males arrive first, scouting for suitable cavities and defending them from competitors like Tree Swallows and House Sparrows. Their brilliant blue backs and rusty breasts are a stunning sight against lingering snow or gray late-winter landscapes. To attract early bluebirds, put up nest boxes by mid-February, mounted five to six feet high in open areas with short grass nearby. Offer mealworms on platform feeders or in specialized bluebird feeders—live or dried both work, though live are preferred in cold weather when protein is crucial. Clean water is equally important, so a heated birdbath becomes a major attractant when natural sources are frozen.

Dark-eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Juncos might seem like an odd addition to a list of returning birds since many people associate them with winter itself. These charming “snowbirds” spend winter across much of the United States, but as late February and March arrive, northern-breeding populations begin moving back toward Canada and the northern U.S. This creates interesting turnover at feeders—while some juncos depart, others pass through on their way north. You’ll notice their numbers fluctuate and sometimes spike during late winter. Juncos prefer feeding on the ground, hopping beneath feeders to collect fallen seed, especially white proso millet and sunflower chips. Keep an area under your feeders clear of deep snow so they can forage easily. As temperatures warm slightly, watch for changes in behavior—increased singing and chasing indicate they’re preparing for migration. Though they’ll soon leave for northern forests, their late-winter presence offers one last chance to enjoy these slate-gray, gentle birds.

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrows are another winter resident that begins shifting northward while winter still lingers, creating fascinating movement patterns in late February and March. These handsome sparrows, with their bold white throat patches and distinctive song that sounds like “Old Sam Peabody-Peabody-Peabody,” start singing more frequently as migration urges build. Like juncos, they’re ground feeders that scratch through leaf litter searching for seeds and insects. Some White-throated Sparrows winter in southern states and begin their return migration surprisingly early, while others that spent winter in your area prepare to continue north to Canadian breeding grounds. Offer white millet, sunflower chips, and cracked corn on platform feeders or directly on the ground. Maintain brush piles and leave leaf litter in garden beds where they love to forage. Their clear whistled song is often one of the first true spring sounds, even when snow remains on the ground, making their pre-spring presence especially meaningful.

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallows are bold migrants that push the limits of early return, sometimes arriving in late February or early March when flying insects are still scarce. These iridescent blue-and-white aerial acrobats are usually the first swallow species to return, beating Barn Swallows by several weeks. Their early arrival comes with risks—cold snaps can be deadly when insects aren’t flying—but Tree Swallows have an ace up their sleeve: they can survive briefly on berries, particularly bayberries, when insect prey disappears. Males arrive first to compete fiercely for nest cavities, especially bluebird boxes near water. If you want to attract Tree Swallows, install nest boxes in open areas near ponds, lakes, or streams, ideally mounted on poles with predator guards. Space multiple boxes at least fifteen feet apart to reduce territorial conflicts. Don’t be surprised to see them on cold mornings huddled together in groups, waiting for temperatures to rise enough for insects to become active.

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebes are among the earliest flycatchers to return, often arriving in late February through March while other insect-eaters remain safely in the tropics. These plain gray-brown birds might lack flashy colors, but their constant tail-bobbing and their habit of nesting on building ledges, porches, and bridges make them endearing backyard neighbors. Phoebes survive early cold spells better than other flycatchers because they’re adaptable foragers, occasionally eating small berries and seeds when insects are unavailable, though flying insects remain their primary food. Males return first and immediately begin singing their simple, burry “fee-bee” song from exposed perches. To welcome phoebes, leave potential nest sites available under eaves, on porch lights, or under deck railings. Don’t remove old nests immediately after nesting season ends, as phoebes often renovate and reuse them. Maintain a pesticide-free yard so flying insects remain abundant, and consider a water feature since phoebes frequently hunt near streams and ponds.

Northern Flicker

Northern Flickers are large, beautiful woodpeckers that begin returning to northern breeding areas surprisingly early, sometimes while snow still covers the ground in late February and March. Unlike most woodpeckers that primarily eat insects from tree bark, flickers are ground feeders specializing in ants—a food source that becomes available earlier than many other insects as temperatures start warming. Their undulating flight pattern and the flash of yellow or red under their wings make them easy to spot. Some flickers remain year-round in milder areas, but northern populations migrate and return early to establish territories. To attract flickers, leave dead trees standing when safe, as they excavate nest cavities in soft, decaying wood. Offer suet, peanuts, and sunflower seeds on platform feeders or suet cages. Keep part of your lawn chemical-free where they can probe for ants and beetle larvae. Their loud, ringing call and rhythmic drumming on resonant surfaces announce that they’re back and claiming territory.

Sharing is caring!