Skip to content
ES

Migratory bird calendar for Colombia

Every year, hundreds of bird species cross the continent. Colombia receives birds escaping the northern winter and also some that come from the south. Knowing when they pass through helps you plan your outings.

Two main groups

Boreal migrants breed in North America and spend their winter months here, roughly from September to April.

Austral migrants breed in the south of the continent and reach northern South America during the southern winter, roughly from May to September.

Some mountain species also make shorter movements, moving up or down in elevation depending on the season.

Month by month

August and September
The first boreal migrants arrive, such as warblers and thrushes.
October
Large flocks of raptors, such as the Broad-winged Hawk, pass through heading south.
November to February
Boreal migrants have settled in: the best time to watch them at leisure.
March and April
They head back north. Raptors pass through in flocks again.
May to July
Few boreal migrants remain. It’s the season of resident birds and some austral migrants.

Some migrants you can see in Colombia

  • Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca

    Very common in Andean forests during the boreal season.

  • Cerulean Warbler Setophaga cerulea

    Spends the winter in mid-elevation mountain forests. In Santander, the Reinita Cielo Azul reserve is named after it.

  • Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus

    One of the most abundant migrants in the country’s forests.

  • Summer Tanager Piranga rubra

    The male is entirely red. It visits forest edges and gardens.

  • Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus

    Travels in large groups, seen mostly in October and March.

  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

    Recognizable by its long, forked tail.

June, the month of the fair

The fair takes place on June 4 to 6, 2027. By then most boreal migrants will have left, so you’ll mostly see Santander’s resident birds, which are around all year.

Bird count dates

Two worldwide counts organized by eBird invite everyone to go out on the same day and log everything they see: the Global Big Day in May and the October Big Day in October. Colombia is usually among the countries reporting the most species.

For Colombia’s environmental days month by month, Motmot Nature publishes the 2027 environmental calendar.