When do grackles and blackbirds leave California?

The Red-winged Blackbird does not leave California: it is reported all year, from 9.7% of checklists in the second week of August to 21% in late April.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 21% of California checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in California?

Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, and Yellow-headed Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.

4 blackbird species in California

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in California?

Photo: infiniteuniverse, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Western Meadowlarks are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in California. The Red-winged Blackbird is in California all year. It turns up on about 21% of checklists at its peak (late April) and on 9.7% in its quietest week (the second week of August).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekApr 22-30late April

Quietest weekAug 8-14the second week of August

Best: late April. Here all year. Peak: on about 21% of California checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julcommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octcommon
Novcommon
Deccommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in California, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	all year	–	Apr 22-30	–	21%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Feb 15-21	Apr 8-14	May 22-31	Jul 15-21	17%
Western Meadowlark	Sep 8-14	Sep 22-30	Nov 1-7	Apr 22-30	11%
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Mar 22-31	Mar 22-31	May 1-7	Oct 1-7	1.7%

Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird

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 California 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 California

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Colusa CountyBest the second week of April · 143 checklists that week, 7,653 in all69%
Yolo CountyBest late April · 2000 checklists that week, 67,424 in all54%
Glenn CountyBest the second week of March · 51 checklists that week, 5,189 in all54%
Merced CountyBest late April · 403 checklists that week, 13,095 in all53%
Kings CountyBest late May · 99 checklists that week, 3,688 in all51%
Napa CountyBest late March · 504 checklists that week, 18,976 in all49%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in California?: The Red-winged Blackbird is in California all year. It turns up on about 21% of checklists at its peak (late April) and on 9.7% in its quietest week (the second week of August).
When do grackles and blackbirds leave California?: The Red-winged Blackbird does not leave California: it is reported all year, from 9.7% of checklists in the second week of August to 21% in late April.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in California?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 21% of California checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in California?: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, and Yellow-headed Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.