WhenToBird

Quiscalus quiscula · Icteridae

When Do Common Grackles Arrive in Missouri?

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

Common Grackles are in Missouri all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from the second week of March, peak in late May (36% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of July. In the quietest week (late December) they are still on about 4.4% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 8-14the second week of March
PeakMay 22-31late May
Fall back byJul 8-14the second week of July
FewestDec 22-31late December

Best: late May. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of March and fall back by the second week of July. Peak: on about 36% of Missouri checklists.

  1. Janrare
  2. Febuncommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Auguncommon
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novuncommon
  12. Decuncommon

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

0%10%20%30%40%Jan 1-7: 4.4% of 12628 checklistsJan 8-14: 5.3% of 9076 checklistsJan 15-21: 5.5% of 8790 checklistsJan 22-31: 4.8% of 11986 checklistsFeb 1-7: 6.0% of 8987 checklistsFeb 8-14: 6.1% of 10394 checklistsFeb 15-21: 8.5% of 15472 checklistsFeb 22-28: 12% of 9917 checklistsMar 1-7: 20% of 9877 checklistsMar 8-14: 25% of 9570 checklistsMar 15-21: 26% of 10274 checklistsMar 22-31: 28% of 16156 checklistsApr 1-7: 28% of 12774 checklistsApr 8-14: 28% of 14048 checklistsApr 15-21: 28% of 14894 checklistsApr 22-30: 29% of 23288 checklistsMay 1-7: 31% of 22645 checklistsMay 8-14: 33% of 21384 checklistsMay 15-21: 37% of 13989 checklistsMay 22-31: 37% of 15784 checklistsJun 1-7: 36% of 9691 checklistsJun 8-14: 36% of 9036 checklistsJun 15-21: 37% of 7907 checklistsJun 22-30: 33% of 9831 checklistsJul 1-7: 28% of 8008 checklistsJul 8-14: 24% of 7202 checklistsJul 15-21: 19% of 7151 checklistsJul 22-31: 16% of 9833 checklistsAug 1-7: 12% of 7639 checklistsAug 8-14: 11% of 7507 checklistsAug 15-21: 8.6% of 7429 checklistsAug 22-31: 7.8% of 11182 checklistsSep 1-7: 7.6% of 9471 checklistsSep 8-14: 7.6% of 8501 checklistsSep 15-21: 6.2% of 8169 checklistsSep 22-30: 6.8% of 11572 checklistsOct 1-7: 8.7% of 9028 checklistsOct 8-14: 10% of 9413 checklistsOct 15-21: 11% of 8656 checklistsOct 22-31: 11% of 11625 checklistsNov 1-7: 13% of 8627 checklistsNov 8-14: 12% of 8284 checklistsNov 15-21: 9.6% of 8075 checklistsNov 22-30: 7.2% of 10430 checklistsDec 1-7: 6.1% of 7870 checklistsDec 8-14: 5.0% of 7567 checklistsDec 15-21: 4.7% of 9696 checklistsDec 22-31: 4.2% of 13142 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 Missouri 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 Missouri

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Ripley CountyBest the second week of March · 24 checklists that week, 1,058 in all87%
  2. Lewis CountyBest the second week of April · 22 checklists that week, 1,047 in all80%
  3. St. Louis CityBest mid May · 1157 checklists that week, 28,925 in all73%
  4. Dunklin CountyBest the second week of June · 50 checklists that week, 4,078 in all71%
  5. Pemiscot CountyBest the second week of June · 19 checklists that week, 1,602 in all69%
  6. Randolph CountyBest the second week of June · 12 checklists that week, 838 in all69%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Flynn ParkSt. Louis County, best early April · 41 checklists that week, 1,529 in all96%
  2. Mdc Nature Center/ North CountyCape Girardeau County, best late June · 33 checklists that week, 1,627 in all93%
  3. Forest Park (Clayton-Tamm)St. Louis City, best late March · 20 checklists that week, 768 in all93%
  4. Clarence Cannon National Wildlife RefugePike County, best late May · 25 checklists that week, 708 in all89%

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

Best time of day

In Missouri, the Common Grackle is most often listed on checklists started between 6 and 8 am (25% of those checklists).

0%10%20%30%40%12 am: too few checklists (205) to judge1 am: too few checklists (179) to judge2 am: too few checklists (204) to judge3 am: too few checklists (216) to judge4 am: too few checklists (630) to judge5 am: too few checklists (5072) to judge6 am: 30% of 27231 checklists7 am: 24% of 64162 checklists8 am: 21% of 67854 checklists9 am: 18% of 56515 checklists10 am: 16% of 47496 checklists11 am: 15% of 38845 checklists12 pm: 13% of 33383 checklists1 pm: 13% of 32503 checklists2 pm: 15% of 32615 checklists3 pm: 14% of 32514 checklists4 pm: 16% of 30274 checklists5 pm: 21% of 23446 checklists6 pm: 22% of 16374 checklists7 pm: too few checklists (10236) to judge8 pm: too few checklists (3133) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (722) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (405) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (261) 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
January4.4%5.3%5.5%4.8%
February6.0%6.1%8.5%12%
March20%25%26%28%
April28%28%28%29%
May31%33%37%37%
June36%36%37%33%
July28%24%19%16%
August12%11%8.6%7.8%
September7.6%7.6%6.2%6.8%
October8.7%10%11%11%
November13%12%9.6%7.2%
December6.1%5.0%4.7%4.2%

Neighboring states

  • Arkansas: arrives late February, 2 weeks earlier than Missouri
  • Iowa: arrives late February, 2 weeks earlier than Missouri
  • Kansas: arrives mid February, 3 weeks earlier than Missouri
  • Illinois: arrives the second week of February, 4 weeks earlier than Missouri

Common questions

When do Common Grackles arrive in Missouri?
Common Grackles are in Missouri all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from the second week of March, peak in late May (36% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of July. In the quietest week (late December) they are still on about 4.4% of checklists.
When do Common Grackles leave Missouri?
Common Grackles never fully leave Missouri: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of July, but some are still reported in every week, about 4.4% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see a Common Grackle in Missouri?
The Common Grackle is reported most often in late May, on about 36% of Missouri checklists.
Where in Missouri are Common Grackles seen most often?
By county, Ripley County, Lewis County, and St. Louis City have the highest peak reporting rates for the Common Grackle (counties with at least 200 checklists).