WhenToBird

Quiscalus quiscula · Icteridae

When Do Common Grackles Arrive in Maryland?

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

Common Grackles are in Maryland all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late May (40% 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 22-31late May
Fall back byJul 22-31late July
FewestDec 15-21mid December

Best: late May. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by late July. Peak: on about 40% of Maryland checklists.

  1. Januncommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marcommon
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novuncommon
  12. Decrare

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

0%20%40%60%Jan 1-7: 5.2% of 28716 checklistsJan 8-14: 5.2% of 21449 checklistsJan 15-21: 4.7% of 21267 checklistsJan 22-31: 6.6% of 29144 checklistsFeb 1-7: 8.3% of 21347 checklistsFeb 8-14: 13% of 22166 checklistsFeb 15-21: 15% of 29986 checklistsFeb 22-28: 21% of 22427 checklistsMar 1-7: 23% of 21389 checklistsMar 8-14: 25% of 22192 checklistsMar 15-21: 24% of 22823 checklistsMar 22-31: 26% of 33720 checklistsApr 1-7: 26% of 25513 checklistsApr 8-14: 27% of 27718 checklistsApr 15-21: 31% of 29328 checklistsApr 22-30: 35% of 42595 checklistsMay 1-7: 38% of 38532 checklistsMay 8-14: 38% of 42722 checklistsMay 15-21: 40% of 31936 checklistsMay 22-31: 40% of 36903 checklistsJun 1-7: 40% of 23191 checklistsJun 8-14: 39% of 21853 checklistsJun 15-21: 38% of 21000 checklistsJun 22-30: 36% of 25133 checklistsJul 1-7: 33% of 18715 checklistsJul 8-14: 30% of 16376 checklistsJul 15-21: 26% of 15793 checklistsJul 22-31: 24% of 21969 checklistsAug 1-7: 21% of 16013 checklistsAug 8-14: 18% of 15249 checklistsAug 15-21: 16% of 15674 checklistsAug 22-31: 16% of 24925 checklistsSep 1-7: 14% of 19808 checklistsSep 8-14: 11% of 18513 checklistsSep 15-21: 8.2% of 21901 checklistsSep 22-30: 6.9% of 22901 checklistsOct 1-7: 7.1% of 19111 checklistsOct 8-14: 8.2% of 18482 checklistsOct 15-21: 9.7% of 17380 checklistsOct 22-31: 11% of 23992 checklistsNov 1-7: 11% of 17915 checklistsNov 8-14: 9.1% of 18905 checklistsNov 15-21: 8.2% of 16259 checklistsNov 22-30: 6.3% of 22852 checklistsDec 1-7: 4.7% of 16108 checklistsDec 8-14: 4.2% of 16512 checklistsDec 15-21: 5.0% of 18952 checklistsDec 22-31: 4.5% of 29728 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 Maryland 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 Maryland

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Queen Anne's CountyBest early June · 428 checklists that week, 26,875 in all65%
  2. Kent CountyBest early June · 284 checklists that week, 13,396 in all62%
  3. Talbot CountyBest the second week of June · 650 checklists that week, 31,140 in all59%
  4. Prince George's CountyBest the second week of May · 3136 checklists that week, 87,907 in all54%
  5. St. Mary's CountyBest the second week of April · 419 checklists that week, 20,572 in all52%
  6. Dorchester CountyBest late May · 792 checklists that week, 26,161 in all47%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Patuxent River ParkAnne Arundel County, best late June · 25 checklists that week, 1,189 in all96%
  2. Schoolhouse PondPrince George's County, best late May · 50 checklists that week, 2,059 in all95%
  3. Baker Park (City of Frederick)Frederick County, best mid May · 98 checklists that week, 2,954 in all94%
  4. ParksideMontgomery County, best late June · 22 checklists that week, 862 in all94%
  5. Southwest Area ParkBaltimore County, best early June · 24 checklists that week, 1,230 in all93%
  6. Laurel Lake ParkPrince George's County, best the second week of May · 21 checklists that week, 443 in all93%

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

Best time of day

In Maryland, the Common Grackle is most often listed on checklists started between 6 and 8 am (32% of those checklists).

0%10%20%30%40%12 am: too few checklists (486) to judge1 am: too few checklists (451) to judge2 am: too few checklists (447) to judge3 am: too few checklists (766) to judge4 am: too few checklists (2076) to judge5 am: too few checklists (11098) to judge6 am: 37% of 56604 checklists7 am: 30% of 139255 checklists8 am: 25% of 148626 checklists9 am: 20% of 126820 checklists10 am: 17% of 106973 checklists11 am: 15% of 87483 checklists12 pm: 15% of 74808 checklists1 pm: 14% of 69428 checklists2 pm: 14% of 67800 checklists3 pm: 14% of 67688 checklists4 pm: 17% of 60927 checklists5 pm: 21% of 43876 checklists6 pm: 24% of 32930 checklists7 pm: too few checklists (19051) to judge8 pm: too few checklists (5708) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (1977) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (1170) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (635) 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%5.2%4.7%6.6%
February8.3%13%15%21%
March23%25%24%26%
April26%27%31%35%
May38%38%40%40%
June40%39%38%36%
July33%30%26%24%
August21%18%16%16%
September14%11%8.2%6.9%
October7.1%8.2%9.7%11%
November11%9.1%8.2%6.3%
December4.7%4.2%5.0%4.5%

Neighboring states

  • District of Columbia: arrives the second week of January, 7 weeks earlier than Maryland
  • Delaware: arrives mid March, 2 weeks later than Maryland
  • Virginia: arrives early March, in the same week than Maryland
  • Pennsylvania: arrives early February, 4 weeks earlier than Maryland

Common questions

When do Common Grackles arrive in Maryland?
Common Grackles are in Maryland all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late May (40% 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 Maryland?
Common Grackles never fully leave Maryland: 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 Maryland?
The Common Grackle is reported most often in late May, on about 40% of Maryland checklists.
Where in Maryland are Common Grackles seen most often?
By county, Queen Anne's County, Kent County, and Talbot County have the highest peak reporting rates for the Common Grackle (counties with at least 200 checklists).