When do grackles and blackbirds leave Georgia?

Brown-headed Cowbirds never fully leave Georgia: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late June, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.9% of checklists at the low.

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

The Brown-headed Cowbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 28% of Georgia checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Georgia?

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 Georgia

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Georgia?

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 Georgia. Brown-headed Cowbirds are in Georgia all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in mid April (28% of checklists), and fall back by late June. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 2.9% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 15-21mid March

PeakApr 15-21mid April

Fall back byJun 22-30late June

FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from mid March and fall back by late June. Peak: on about 28% of Georgia checklists.

Januncommon
Febuncommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julcommon
Auguncommon
Sepuncommon
Octuncommon
Novuncommon
Decuncommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Georgia, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 15-21	Mar 15-21	Apr 15-21	Jun 22-30	28%
Red-winged Blackbird	all year	–	Feb 8-14	–	26%
Common Grackle	Mar 1-7	Mar 1-7	May 8-14	Jul 1-7	22%
Eastern Meadowlark	Sep 22-30	Oct 8-14	May 8-14	Aug 8-14	4.4%
Rusty Blackbird	Nov 15-21	Nov 15-21	Dec 8-14	Mar 8-14	2.6%
Bobolink	Apr 15-21	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	May 22-31	2.2%

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 Georgia 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 Georgia

Best counties for Brown-headed Cowbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Turner CountyBest mid September · 22 checklists that week, 385 in all74%
Washington CountyBest the second week of April · 11 checklists that week, 523 in all73%
Monroe CountyBest early June · 94 checklists that week, 4,785 in all68%
Pike CountyBest early May · 17 checklists that week, 779 in all62%
Jeff Davis CountyBest late April · 29 checklists that week, 627 in all59%
Jones CountyBest late June · 83 checklists that week, 3,808 in all56%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Georgia?: Brown-headed Cowbirds are in Georgia all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in mid April (28% of checklists), and fall back by late June. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 2.9% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Georgia?: Brown-headed Cowbirds never fully leave Georgia: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late June, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.9% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Georgia?: The Brown-headed Cowbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 28% of Georgia checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Georgia?: 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.