When do grackles and blackbirds leave Florida?

The Common Grackle does not leave Florida: it is reported all year, from 18% of checklists in early January to 31% in late April.

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

The Common Grackle is reported most often in late April, on about 31% of Florida checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Florida?

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

5 blackbird species in Florida

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Florida?

Photo: Derek Spencer, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in Florida. The Common Grackle is in Florida all year. It turns up on about 31% of checklists at its peak (late April) and on 18% in its quietest week (early January).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekApr 22-30late April

Quietest weekJan 1-7early January

Best: late April. Here all year. Peak: on about 31% of Florida checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novcommon
Deccommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Florida, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Common Grackle	all year	–	Apr 22-30	–	31%
Red-winged Blackbird	Jan 22-31	Jan 22-31	May 22-31	Jul 22-31	29%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Sep 22-30	Oct 22-31	Apr 1-7	Jul 8-14	6.3%
Eastern Meadowlark	Sep 22-30	Oct 8-14	Jun 8-14	Aug 15-21	4.3%
Bobolink	Apr 8-14	Apr 8-14	May 1-7	May 15-21	2.7%

Common Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
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 Florida 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 Florida

Best counties for Common Grackle

Share of checklists at the peak

Glades CountyBest the second week of May · 152 checklists that week, 6,182 in all65%
Charlotte CountyBest the second week of October · 589 checklists that week, 40,485 in all55%
Collier CountyBest late April · 2777 checklists that week, 84,200 in all52%
Monroe CountyBest the second week of June · 779 checklists that week, 62,908 in all52%
Lee CountyBest early June · 1145 checklists that week, 110,404 in all50%
Sarasota CountyBest early June · 1344 checklists that week, 120,976 in all48%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Florida?: The Common Grackle is in Florida all year. It turns up on about 31% of checklists at its peak (late April) and on 18% in its quietest week (early January).
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Florida?: The Common Grackle does not leave Florida: it is reported all year, from 18% of checklists in early January to 31% in late April.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Florida?: The Common Grackle is reported most often in late April, on about 31% of Florida checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Florida?: Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Eastern Meadowlark, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Common Grackle is the most common.