Seasonal Presence and Relative Frequency of Selected Species
This list summarizes the seasonal presence of selected bird species in South Carolina, indicating whether each species occurs year-round, during the breeding season, or during the non-breeding season (winter and migration). Within each seasonal category, species are numbered and ordered from least to most frequently observed in the United States based on eBird frequency data. This ordering reflects how commonly a species has been observed by U.S. birders over time and is used here as a relative priority indicator, not as a measure of local abundance or the likelihood of encountering a species at a specific site or season within South Carolina.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Bachman’s Sparrow
King Rail
Seaside Sparrow
Reddish Egret
Northern Gannet
Clapper Rail
Northern Bobwhite
Black Skimmer
American Oystercatcher
Wood Stork
Common Ground Dove
Mottled Duck
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Yellow-throated Warbler
Royal Tern
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Anhinga
Tricolored Heron
Boat-tailed Grackle
Little Blue Heron
White Ibis
Swainson’s Warbler
Gull-billed Tern
Chuck-will’s-widow
Purple Gallinule
Swallow-tailed Kite
Kentucky Warbler
Sandwich Tern
Worm-eating Warbler
Mississippi Kite
Roseate Spoonbill
Louisiana Waterthrush
Prothonotary Warbler
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Least Tern
Dickcissel
Painted Bunting
Hooded Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Orchard Oriole
Summer Tanager
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Baltimore Oriole
Indigo Bunting
Nelson’s Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Purple Sandpiper
Parasitic Jaeger
Henslow’s Sparrow
Wilson’s Plover
Red Knot
Piping Plover
American Woodcock
Sedge Wren
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Black Scoter
Hudsonian Whimbrel
White-winged Scoter
Red-throated Loon
Tundra Swan
Common Eider
Long-tailed Duck
Ruddy Turnstone
Snow Goose
Surf Scoter
Sanderling
American Black Duck
Great Black-backed Gull
Work with experienced local guides who bring regional insight, field expertise, and careful planning to every outing. Whether you’re visiting a new birding destination or exploring close to home, we’ll help connect you with the right guide and shape an experience that fits your goals, timing, and interests.
