When do grackles and blackbirds leave Arkansas?

Brown-headed Cowbirds never fully leave Arkansas: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.5% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Arkansas?

The Brown-headed Cowbird is reported most often in late April, on about 39% of Arkansas checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Arkansas?

Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Brown-headed Cowbird is the most common.

6 blackbird species in Arkansas

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Arkansas?

Photo: Nicole, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Brown-headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Common Grackles are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in Arkansas. Brown-headed Cowbirds are in Arkansas all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in late April (39% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of January) they are still on about 2.5% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 15-21mid March

PeakApr 22-30late April

Fall back byJul 1-7early July

FewestJan 8-14the second week of January

Best: late April. Here all year; numbers build from mid March and fall back by early July. Peak: on about 39% of Arkansas checklists.

Janrare
Febuncommon
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augrare
Seprare
Octrare
Novrare
Decrare

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Arkansas, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 15-21	Mar 15-21	Apr 22-30	Jul 1-7	39%
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Feb 15-21	Apr 22-30	Jul 22-31	33%
Common Grackle	Feb 22-28	Feb 22-28	May 8-14	Jul 8-14	22%
Eastern Meadowlark	Feb 22-28	Feb 22-28	Apr 1-7	Jul 22-31	14%
Rusty Blackbird	Nov 15-21	Nov 22-30	Mar 1-7	Mar 22-31	3.8%
Bobolink	Apr 22-30	Apr 22-30	May 8-14	May 15-21	2.7%

Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Eastern Meadowlark

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Arkansas 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.

Where in Arkansas

Best counties for Brown-headed Cowbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Grant CountyBest mid June · 21 checklists that week, 1,258 in all81%
Lee CountyBest the second week of May · 14 checklists that week, 450 in all72%
Arkansas CountyBest the second week of July · 15 checklists that week, 1,686 in all71%
Ashley CountyBest early May · 11 checklists that week, 484 in all68%
Lincoln CountyBest mid May · 13 checklists that week, 216 in all65%
Desha CountyBest late May · 17 checklists that week, 756 in all63%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Arkansas?: Brown-headed Cowbirds are in Arkansas all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in late April (39% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of January) they are still on about 2.5% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Arkansas?: Brown-headed Cowbirds never fully leave Arkansas: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.5% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Arkansas?: The Brown-headed Cowbird is reported most often in late April, on about 39% of Arkansas checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Arkansas?: Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Brown-headed Cowbird is the most common.