WhenToBird

Quiscalus quiscula · Icteridae

When Do Common Grackles Arrive in Kentucky?

Adult Common Grackle
Photo: Derek Spencer, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Common Grackles are in Kentucky all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in the second week of May (44% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 4.6% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakMay 8-14the second week of May
Fall back byJul 22-31late July
FewestDec 15-21mid December

Best: the second week of May. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by late July. Peak: on about 44% of Kentucky checklists.

  1. Januncommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novuncommon
  12. Decrare

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

0%20%40%60%Jan 1-7: 5.2% of 6923 checklistsJan 8-14: 6.0% of 4900 checklistsJan 15-21: 6.3% of 5016 checklistsJan 22-31: 6.3% of 6611 checklistsFeb 1-7: 7.8% of 4986 checklistsFeb 8-14: 11% of 5677 checklistsFeb 15-21: 15% of 8880 checklistsFeb 22-28: 23% of 5567 checklistsMar 1-7: 30% of 5397 checklistsMar 8-14: 34% of 5462 checklistsMar 15-21: 33% of 5733 checklistsMar 22-31: 33% of 9043 checklistsApr 1-7: 35% of 6763 checklistsApr 8-14: 35% of 7498 checklistsApr 15-21: 36% of 8486 checklistsApr 22-30: 38% of 13396 checklistsMay 1-7: 44% of 10825 checklistsMay 8-14: 44% of 11495 checklistsMay 15-21: 43% of 7363 checklistsMay 22-31: 43% of 8800 checklistsJun 1-7: 42% of 5381 checklistsJun 8-14: 42% of 5244 checklistsJun 15-21: 43% of 4730 checklistsJun 22-30: 39% of 5470 checklistsJul 1-7: 35% of 4567 checklistsJul 8-14: 34% of 4287 checklistsJul 15-21: 29% of 4097 checklistsJul 22-31: 25% of 6044 checklistsAug 1-7: 23% of 4647 checklistsAug 8-14: 23% of 4256 checklistsAug 15-21: 20% of 4484 checklistsAug 22-31: 20% of 6434 checklistsSep 1-7: 20% of 5450 checklistsSep 8-14: 18% of 5157 checklistsSep 15-21: 15% of 5530 checklistsSep 22-30: 15% of 6710 checklistsOct 1-7: 18% of 5403 checklistsOct 8-14: 20% of 5943 checklistsOct 15-21: 20% of 4873 checklistsOct 22-31: 19% of 6584 checklistsNov 1-7: 17% of 5008 checklistsNov 8-14: 13% of 4677 checklistsNov 15-21: 9.2% of 4419 checklistsNov 22-30: 7.4% of 5933 checklistsDec 1-7: 5.8% of 4479 checklistsDec 8-14: 4.7% of 4687 checklistsDec 15-21: 4.8% of 6239 checklistsDec 22-31: 4.4% of 7976 checklistsJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Share of complete checklists reporting it, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Kentucky that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
today
Second week of November

Each county is shaded by the share of complete checklists there that listed the bird, blended with the weeks either side. Darker is more often. It follows where people watch birds, not how many birds there are. How to read it.

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Where in Kentucky

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Garrard CountyBest early June · 28 checklists that week, 1,578 in all77%
  2. Daviess CountyBest the second week of June · 22 checklists that week, 1,999 in all75%
  3. Simpson CountyBest mid May · 37 checklists that week, 663 in all75%
  4. Carroll CountyBest early June · 12 checklists that week, 412 in all74%
  5. Gallatin CountyBest mid June · 13 checklists that week, 470 in all74%
  6. Jessamine CountyBest early May · 122 checklists that week, 4,165 in all73%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Minor Clark Fish HatcheryRowan County, best late May · 30 checklists that week, 882 in all97%
  2. Basil W Griffin, Jr ParkWarren County, best late March · 23 checklists that week, 661 in all96%
  3. Peter W. Pfeiffer Fish HatcheryFranklin County, best the second week of May · 31 checklists that week, 1,265 in all92%
  4. Alexandria Community ParkCampbell County, best the second week of May · 26 checklists that week, 262 in all91%
  5. Central Park and ArboretumBoone County, best mid May · 37 checklists that week, 1,695 in all89%
  6. Cross Keys ParkFayette County, best the second week of May · 23 checklists that week, 259 in all88%

Busy spots report more of everything; compare the checklist counts before you drive anywhere.

Best time of day

In Kentucky, the Common Grackle is most often listed on checklists started between 6 and 8 am (34% of those checklists).

0%10%20%30%40%12 am: too few checklists (140) to judge1 am: too few checklists (120) to judge2 am: too few checklists (88) to judge3 am: too few checklists (95) to judge4 am: too few checklists (151) to judge5 am: too few checklists (1289) to judge6 am: 38% of 8227 checklists7 am: 33% of 24608 checklists8 am: 29% of 36577 checklists9 am: 26% of 34626 checklists10 am: 23% of 28796 checklists11 am: 20% of 22781 checklists12 pm: 20% of 19848 checklists1 pm: 18% of 19369 checklists2 pm: 19% of 19367 checklists3 pm: 19% of 19618 checklists4 pm: 22% of 19464 checklists5 pm: 27% of 16639 checklists6 pm: 29% of 12714 checklists7 pm: 32% of 8457 checklists8 pm: too few checklists (3447) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (684) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (267) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (158) to judge12a3a6a9a12p3p6p9p
Share of checklists started in each local hour that reported it. It reflects when people go birding as well as when birds are active. Grey hours have too few checklists (under 2% of the state’s, or under 200) to judge.
Week-by-week table
MonthDays 1-78-1415-2122-end
January5.2%6.0%6.3%6.3%
February7.8%11%15%23%
March30%34%33%33%
April35%35%36%38%
May44%44%43%43%
June42%42%43%39%
July35%34%29%25%
August23%23%20%20%
September20%18%15%15%
October18%20%20%19%
November17%13%9.2%7.4%
December5.8%4.7%4.8%4.4%

Neighboring states

  • Tennessee: arrives early March, in the same week than Kentucky
  • Indiana: arrives early February, 4 weeks earlier than Kentucky
  • Ohio: arrives the second week of February, 3 weeks earlier than Kentucky
  • Illinois: arrives the second week of February, 3 weeks earlier than Kentucky

Common questions

When do Common Grackles arrive in Kentucky?
Common Grackles are in Kentucky all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in the second week of May (44% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 4.6% of checklists.
When do Common Grackles leave Kentucky?
Common Grackles never fully leave Kentucky: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late July, but some are still reported in every week, about 4.6% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see a Common Grackle in Kentucky?
The Common Grackle is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 44% of Kentucky checklists.
Where in Kentucky are Common Grackles seen most often?
By county, Garrard County, Daviess County, and Simpson County have the highest peak reporting rates for the Common Grackle (counties with at least 200 checklists).