: early Nov-late Mar mostly along the coast and on the , with migration peaks late Oct-early Nov and mid-late Mar with from late Oct to early May. Not recorded every year from the Cadillac Mountain Hawkwatch. away from the coast mostly due to a lack of required open ground habitat.
There are a scattering of reports mid May-early Oct including one mid-summer, but none with documentation.
Miscellany: Rough-legs are high arctic breeders whose numbers rise and fall with those of their small mammal prey. Our numbers fluctuate as well, presumably linked with breeding success, but birds don't linger here unless there's a good rodent supply to sustain them.
Last Reviewed: May 15th, 2026