WhenToBird

6 blackbird species in Connecticut

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Connecticut?

Adult male Red-winged Blackbird
Photo: infiniteuniverse, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and Brown-headed Cowbirds are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in Connecticut. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Connecticut all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late April (58% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (early January) they are still on about 3.5% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakApr 22-30late April
Fall back byJul 15-21mid July
FewestJan 1-7early January

Best: late April. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by mid July. Peak: on about 58% of Connecticut checklists.

  1. Janrare
  2. Febuncommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julcommon
  8. Augcommon
  9. Seprare
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novuncommon
  12. Decrare

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Connecticut, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Red-winged BlackbirdMar 1-7Mar 1-7Apr 22-30Jul 15-2158%
Common GrackleMar 1-7Mar 1-7May 22-31Jul 22-3147%
Brown-headed CowbirdJan 15-21Mar 15-21Apr 22-30Jul 8-1430%
BobolinkMay 1-7May 1-7Sep 1-7Oct 1-73.5%
Rusty BlackbirdOct 1-7Oct 1-7Apr 8-14May 1-71.4%
Eastern MeadowlarkOct 1-7Oct 1-7Oct 15-21Nov 22-301.3%
0%20%40%60%Red-winged BlackbirdCommon GrackleBrown-headed CowbirdBobolinkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Bobolink
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 Connecticut 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 Connecticut

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. New Haven CountyBest late April · 5410 checklists that week, 139,721 in all66%
  2. New London CountyBest early May · 1919 checklists that week, 65,205 in all61%
  3. Windham CountyBest late April · 721 checklists that week, 19,034 in all60%
  4. Litchfield CountyBest late April · 2305 checklists that week, 69,766 in all59%
  5. Middlesex CountyBest late April · 1582 checklists that week, 39,919 in all59%
  6. Tolland CountyBest late April · 1577 checklists that week, 39,004 in all55%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Connecticut?
Red-winged Blackbirds are in Connecticut all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late April (58% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (early January) they are still on about 3.5% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Connecticut?
Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Connecticut: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.5% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Connecticut?
The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 58% of Connecticut checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Connecticut?
Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bobolink, Rusty Blackbird, and Eastern Meadowlark are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.