WhenToBird

Quiscalus quiscula · Icteridae

When Do Common Grackles Arrive in Louisiana?

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

Common Grackles are in Louisiana all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in early May (25% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of December) they are still on about 8.0% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakMay 1-7early May
Fall back byJul 1-7early July
FewestDec 8-14the second week of December

Best: early May. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by early July. Peak: on about 25% of Louisiana checklists.

  1. Januncommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julcommon
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novcommon
  12. Decuncommon

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

0%10%20%30%Jan 1-7: 8.8% of 8384 checklistsJan 8-14: 7.7% of 6265 checklistsJan 15-21: 7.5% of 6825 checklistsJan 22-31: 9.2% of 8776 checklistsFeb 1-7: 11% of 5956 checklistsFeb 8-14: 12% of 6291 checklistsFeb 15-21: 13% of 8044 checklistsFeb 22-28: 16% of 5946 checklistsMar 1-7: 17% of 5981 checklistsMar 8-14: 17% of 6307 checklistsMar 15-21: 19% of 6747 checklistsMar 22-31: 21% of 10487 checklistsApr 1-7: 20% of 8037 checklistsApr 8-14: 23% of 9577 checklistsApr 15-21: 25% of 11372 checklistsApr 22-30: 25% of 14344 checklistsMay 1-7: 25% of 8193 checklistsMay 8-14: 25% of 6823 checklistsMay 15-21: 24% of 4818 checklistsMay 22-31: 22% of 6206 checklistsJun 1-7: 22% of 3660 checklistsJun 8-14: 22% of 3455 checklistsJun 15-21: 21% of 3084 checklistsJun 22-30: 19% of 3904 checklistsJul 1-7: 17% of 3240 checklistsJul 8-14: 14% of 3235 checklistsJul 15-21: 13% of 3167 checklistsJul 22-31: 11% of 4328 checklistsAug 1-7: 11% of 3192 checklistsAug 8-14: 11% of 3394 checklistsAug 15-21: 11% of 3502 checklistsAug 22-31: 11% of 5658 checklistsSep 1-7: 11% of 4366 checklistsSep 8-14: 12% of 4648 checklistsSep 15-21: 9.9% of 4369 checklistsSep 22-30: 11% of 6418 checklistsOct 1-7: 11% of 5375 checklistsOct 8-14: 13% of 6213 checklistsOct 15-21: 13% of 5553 checklistsOct 22-31: 12% of 8879 checklistsNov 1-7: 11% of 6231 checklistsNov 8-14: 10% of 5011 checklistsNov 15-21: 10% of 4856 checklistsNov 22-30: 8.8% of 6696 checklistsDec 1-7: 8.7% of 4530 checklistsDec 8-14: 8.1% of 4883 checklistsDec 15-21: 7.4% of 5833 checklistsDec 22-31: 8.8% of 9940 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Richland ParishBest late May · 19 checklists that week, 835 in all72%
  2. Iberville ParishBest the second week of July · 23 checklists that week, 2,343 in all66%
  3. Red River ParishBest late May · 13 checklists that week, 998 in all58%
  4. Bossier ParishBest the second week of May · 149 checklists that week, 3,463 in all58%
  5. Pointe Coupee ParishBest late May · 23 checklists that week, 593 in all58%
  6. Acadia ParishBest late May · 87 checklists that week, 4,718 in all54%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. C. Bickham Dickson Park - in Bossier Ph.Caddo Parish, best early May · 28 checklists that week, 581 in all93%
  2. US 90/190 Rest Area St. TammanySt. Tammany Parish, best late April · 49 checklists that week, 794 in all80%
  3. Black Bayou LakeOuachita Parish, best mid May · 32 checklists that week, 1,281 in all78%
  4. City-Brooks Community ParkEast Baton Rouge Parish, best the second week of April · 28 checklists that week, 1,603 in all78%
  5. Red River National Wildlife RefugeBossier Parish, best the second week of May · 69 checklists that week, 1,681 in all74%
  6. Grand IsleJefferson Parish, best mid March · 40 checklists that week, 1,519 in all73%

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

Best time of day

In Louisiana, the Common Grackle is most often listed on checklists started between 6 and 8 am (22% of those checklists).

0%10%20%30%12 am: too few checklists (110) to judge1 am: too few checklists (95) to judge2 am: too few checklists (78) to judge3 am: too few checklists (145) to judge4 am: too few checklists (266) to judge5 am: too few checklists (2981) to judge6 am: 23% of 21115 checklists7 am: 21% of 38843 checklists8 am: 17% of 36306 checklists9 am: 15% of 31934 checklists10 am: 12% of 27208 checklists11 am: 12% of 20733 checklists12 pm: 11% of 18505 checklists1 pm: 12% of 17383 checklists2 pm: 12% of 17422 checklists3 pm: 12% of 17005 checklists4 pm: 13% of 17170 checklists5 pm: 14% of 12536 checklists6 pm: 14% of 8080 checklists7 pm: too few checklists (3798) to judge8 pm: too few checklists (676) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (311) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (206) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (93) 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
January8.8%7.7%7.5%9.2%
February11%12%13%16%
March17%17%19%21%
April20%23%25%25%
May25%25%24%22%
June22%22%21%19%
July17%14%13%11%
August11%11%11%11%
September11%12%9.9%11%
October11%13%13%12%
November11%10%10%8.8%
December8.7%8.1%7.4%8.8%

Neighboring states

  • Mississippi: arrives late March, 3 weeks later than Louisiana
  • Alabama: arrives early March, in the same week than Louisiana
  • Texas: arrives the second week of March, 1 week later than Louisiana
  • Arkansas: arrives late February, 1 week earlier than Louisiana

Common questions

When do Common Grackles arrive in Louisiana?
Common Grackles are in Louisiana all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in early May (25% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of December) they are still on about 8.0% of checklists.
When do Common Grackles leave Louisiana?
Common Grackles never fully leave Louisiana: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 8.0% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see a Common Grackle in Louisiana?
The Common Grackle is reported most often in early May, on about 25% of Louisiana checklists.
Where in Louisiana are Common Grackles seen most often?
By county, Richland Parish, Iberville Parish, and Red River Parish have the highest peak reporting rates for the Common Grackle (counties with at least 200 checklists).