Editor’s note: eBird checklists are linked throughout this article. Feel free to explore them if you’d like to dig deeper!
2025 in Review
Approximately 326 species of birds were reported to eBird in New Hampshire during 2025. This is two fewer than were reported last year, but still on the high end of the post-2010 average, which has ranged from 310–330 species.
One new species was added to the New Hampshire state list: the Common Cuckoo, bringing the state total to roughly 422 species.
Once again, there were many great birds during 2025. Sadly, many of these were “one-day wonders” or even “one-observer wonders,” and some were impossible to see on White and Seavey Islands.
Being retired, Jane and I got out quite a bit. I won the prize for the best Big Year with 284 species recorded in New Hampshire, narrowly beating Jane, who had 281 species!
Overall Bird of the Year
Common Cuckoo
The rarest bird of 2025 was unquestionably the Common Cuckoo, found and photographed by Tori Simpson-Tucker in South Cemetery, Portsmouth, on November 21. Though she doesn’t consider herself an “official” birder, she recognized the bird as unusual and, through her birder friend Brendan Linard, word spread quickly.
Despite intensive searching later that day and the following morning, the bird was not relocated. This Eurasian species represents the first New Hampshire state record, the third New England record, and only the fifth record for the entire United States.
Common Cuckoo by Tori Simpson-Tucker, 11-21-2025, Portsmouth, NH.
The Most Uncooperative Mega-Rarity
(Five-Way Tie)
I believe all of these birds were seen by a single observer and not seen again, but at least there were some nice photos!
The Most Difficult to Chase Mega-Rarity
(Three-Way Tie)
White and Seavey Islands (Isles of Shoals) hosted these hard-to-reach rarities. Incredibly, the Bridled Tern from 2024 returned for a second summer, marking only the second New Hampshire record. It was joined by a Sabine’s Gull on June 8 and a Royal Tern on June 11.
Bridled Tern by Marshall Mumford, 7-7-2025, Isles of Shoals, White and Seavey Islands, Rye.
Most Common Rare Bird
Swallow-tailed Kite
Four separate locations across three counties: Cheshire, Hillsborough, and Merrimack.
Runner-up: White-faced Ibis
Multiple spring sightings in Hampton and as far inland as Stratham, likely involving three individuals.
White-faced Ibis by Cameron Johnson, 4-27-2025, Huckleberry Ln., Hampton, NH.
“Lightning Strikes Twice” (or Three Times?)
Incredibly, a Townsend’s Solitaire was seen again on Pack Monadnock! This is now the third time that a Townsend’s Solitaire has been spotted from the summit during the annual Hawk Watch. Previous sightings were in 2023 and 2017. This bird showed up on November 18 and was nicely photographed by Nora Hanke.
Townsend’s Solitaire by Nora Hanke, 11-18-2025, Pack Monadnock, NH.
Birding Experience of the Year
Birder’s can pick between two options:
- Drifting through a flock of nearly 15,000 breeding-plumage Red Phalaropes alongside 50 Humpback Whales during the NH Audubon spring pelagic trip on May 27. You can read Jon Woolf’s account of this field trip here.
- The unforgettable Seacoast Chapter field trip during the Spring Fallout of 2025.
Red Phalarope flock by Steve Mirick, 5-27-2025, NH Audubon Spring Pelagic Trip.
Late Bird of the Year
A Least Flycatcher spotted by Stuart Varney at Odiorne Point State Park on November 29 established a new record late date for New Hampshire—by three days.
Comeback Rarity of the Year
Mississippi Kite
After a disastrous 2024 nesting season, Mississippi Kites rebounded with two new nest sites, each successfully fledging one young. This tenuous satellite population has persisted since at least 2008—17 years and counting.
Fledged Mississippi Kite by Steve Mirick, Dover, NH, 2025.
You can read all about the Mississippi Kite’s great year in this recent nesting season summary.
Best Birdfeeder Birds
Out-of-range feeder visitors included three Summer Tanagers, a Western Tanager, and a Painted Bunting. Notably, the Summer Tanager first seen in Derry on December 5, 2024, survived into 2025 and was last observed on January 6, setting a new late-date record.
Summer Tanager by Fran Keenan, 12-6-2024, Derry, NH. It continued into January 2025.
Other Mega-Special Sightings
- MacGillivray’s Warbler — Amazing find by Cameron Johnson in a bleak, wintry field, January 12.
- Bell’s Vireo — Fourth state record found by Brett Hillman at Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, November 3.
- Black-necked Stilt — Two birds found south of Odiorne Point State Park by Stuart Varney, “one-day-wonders”, June 9.
- Lark Bunting — Found by Debbie Lyons, June 5. Read more about her account in a lovely article by Kathryn Frieden linked here.
- Worm-eating Warbler — Found by Jim Sparrell at Odiorne Point State Park, May 4.
- Pink-footed Goose — A “one-day-wonder” found by Nate Marchessault in Kenne, March 14.
- Cave Swallow — 2025 was a good Cave Swallow year in New England. The first one found in 2025 in New Hampshire was by Dylan Jackson on November 8. It was a life bird for him!
- White-winged Dove — Found by Stuart Varney on Star Island, September 29.
- LeConte’s Sparrow — Author’s only mega find of the year, seen October 4 at Goss Farm in Rye, NH.
Top Counties & County Birders
- Rockingham County — 304 species
Top birder: Steve Mirick (266 species)
2. Strafford County — 231 species
Top birder: Sam Stoddard (189 species)
3. Grafton County — 222 species
Top birder: Wayne Scott (200 species)
4. Hillsborough County — 220 species
Top birder: Nora Hanke (169 species)
5. Cheshire County — 216 species
Top birder: Wendy Ward (197 species)
6. Merrimack County — 212 species
Top birder: Pam Hunt (186 species)
7. Coos County — 205 species
Top birder: Lori Charron (176 species)
8. Sullivan County — 199 species
Top birder: Jen Armstrong (183 species)
9. Carroll County — 196 species
Top birder: K. Klapper (156 species)
10. Belknap County — 195 species
Top birder: Rob Woodward (149 species)
Top Out-of-State Birder
Magill Weber (Maine)
Magill wins the top “Out-of-state Birder” award after finding a Harris’s Sparrow while searching for a MacGillivray’s Warbler in Dover, NH, and later discovering a Loggerhead Shrike while looking for a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Exeter, NH.
Harris’s Sparrow by Debra Powers, 1-16-2025, Dover, NH.
Congratulations to all birders for a fantastic year!
Apologies for any inadvertent errors. Wishing everyone a great year of birding in 2026!