WhenToBird

Quiscalus quiscula · Icteridae

When Do Common Grackles Arrive in Virginia?

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

Common Grackles are in Virginia all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in mid May (38% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 3.2% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakMay 15-21mid May
Fall back byJul 15-21mid July
FewestDec 15-21mid December

Best: mid May. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by mid July. Peak: on about 38% of Virginia checklists.

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

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

0%10%20%30%40%Jan 1-7: 3.9% of 32817 checklistsJan 8-14: 3.8% of 25111 checklistsJan 15-21: 3.8% of 25510 checklistsJan 22-31: 5.0% of 34492 checklistsFeb 1-7: 6.2% of 24950 checklistsFeb 8-14: 9.1% of 28224 checklistsFeb 15-21: 12% of 43578 checklistsFeb 22-28: 20% of 26467 checklistsMar 1-7: 23% of 25851 checklistsMar 8-14: 25% of 25901 checklistsMar 15-21: 26% of 26747 checklistsMar 22-31: 26% of 40819 checklistsApr 1-7: 26% of 31351 checklistsApr 8-14: 28% of 33239 checklistsApr 15-21: 31% of 37284 checklistsApr 22-30: 35% of 54364 checklistsMay 1-7: 37% of 47698 checklistsMay 8-14: 38% of 46174 checklistsMay 15-21: 39% of 36444 checklistsMay 22-31: 38% of 43203 checklistsJun 1-7: 36% of 28503 checklistsJun 8-14: 36% of 25485 checklistsJun 15-21: 35% of 23728 checklistsJun 22-30: 31% of 28785 checklistsJul 1-7: 27% of 22294 checklistsJul 8-14: 24% of 20481 checklistsJul 15-21: 21% of 18914 checklistsJul 22-31: 18% of 26976 checklistsAug 1-7: 17% of 19555 checklistsAug 8-14: 15% of 18744 checklistsAug 15-21: 13% of 18721 checklistsAug 22-31: 13% of 28763 checklistsSep 1-7: 11% of 23594 checklistsSep 8-14: 9.8% of 22581 checklistsSep 15-21: 7.0% of 23036 checklistsSep 22-30: 5.8% of 29687 checklistsOct 1-7: 6.7% of 24321 checklistsOct 8-14: 6.9% of 23946 checklistsOct 15-21: 8.3% of 22191 checklistsOct 22-31: 9.4% of 30161 checklistsNov 1-7: 9.7% of 21431 checklistsNov 8-14: 7.8% of 22758 checklistsNov 15-21: 6.0% of 19988 checklistsNov 22-30: 5.0% of 27665 checklistsDec 1-7: 3.6% of 19324 checklistsDec 8-14: 3.1% of 20316 checklistsDec 15-21: 3.3% of 25675 checklistsDec 22-31: 3.1% of 38677 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 Virginia 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 Virginia

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Hopewell CountyBest early June · 51 checklists that week, 3,116 in all95%
  2. Colonial Heights CountyBest mid May · 26 checklists that week, 889 in all89%
  3. Emporia CountyBest mid April · 11 checklists that week, 295 in all80%
  4. Covington CountyBest late May · 13 checklists that week, 217 in all79%
  5. Falls Church CountyBest mid May · 49 checklists that week, 1,687 in all76%
  6. Winchester CountyBest late May · 145 checklists that week, 4,815 in all75%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. City ParkHopewell County, best early May · 29 checklists that week, 1,971 in all100%
  2. George Washington Memorial ParkwayFairfax County, best mid May · 20 checklists that week, 1,231 in all98%
  3. River View ParkRadford County, best the second week of May · 23 checklists that week, 1,036 in all97%
  4. Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife RefugeEssex County, best late May · 22 checklists that week, 470 in all97%
  5. Barcroft ParkArlington County, best late April · 26 checklists that week, 348 in all96%

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

Best time of day

In Virginia, the Common Grackle is most often listed on checklists started between 6 and 8 am (28% of those checklists).

0%10%20%30%40%12 am: too few checklists (485) to judge1 am: too few checklists (488) to judge2 am: too few checklists (423) to judge3 am: too few checklists (565) to judge4 am: too few checklists (1410) to judge5 am: too few checklists (10265) to judge6 am: 35% of 64788 checklists7 am: 26% of 169128 checklists8 am: 21% of 180748 checklists9 am: 18% of 153462 checklists10 am: 16% of 128966 checklists11 am: 14% of 104204 checklists12 pm: 14% of 91604 checklists1 pm: 14% of 85547 checklists2 pm: 14% of 82355 checklists3 pm: 14% of 82265 checklists4 pm: 16% of 76714 checklists5 pm: 21% of 56782 checklists6 pm: 23% of 40131 checklists7 pm: too few checklists (24290) to judge8 pm: too few checklists (7744) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (2383) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (1122) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (651) 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
January3.9%3.8%3.8%5.0%
February6.2%9.1%12%20%
March23%25%26%26%
April26%28%31%35%
May37%38%39%38%
June36%36%35%31%
July27%24%21%18%
August17%15%13%13%
September11%9.8%7.0%5.8%
October6.7%6.9%8.3%9.4%
November9.7%7.8%6.0%5.0%
December3.6%3.1%3.3%3.1%

Neighboring states

  • District of Columbia: arrives the second week of January, 7 weeks earlier than Virginia
  • Maryland: arrives early March, in the same week than Virginia
  • West Virginia: arrives the second week of February, 3 weeks earlier than Virginia
  • Delaware: arrives mid March, 2 weeks later than Virginia

Common questions

When do Common Grackles arrive in Virginia?
Common Grackles are in Virginia all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in mid May (38% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 3.2% of checklists.
When do Common Grackles leave Virginia?
Common Grackles never fully leave Virginia: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.2% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see a Common Grackle in Virginia?
The Common Grackle is reported most often in mid May, on about 38% of Virginia checklists.
Where in Virginia are Common Grackles seen most often?
By county, Hopewell County, Colonial Heights County, and Emporia County have the highest peak reporting rates for the Common Grackle (counties with at least 200 checklists).