When do grackles and blackbirds leave Idaho?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Idaho: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.9% of checklists at the low.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 50% of Idaho checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Idaho?

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

5 blackbird species in Idaho

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Idaho?

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 Idaho. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Idaho all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid February, peak in late April (50% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of December) they are still on about 6.9% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 15-21mid February

PeakApr 22-30late April

Fall back byJul 1-7early July

FewestDec 8-14the second week of December

Best: late April. Here all year; numbers build from mid February and fall back by early July. Peak: on about 50% of Idaho checklists.

Januncommon
Febcommon
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 Idaho, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Feb 15-21	Apr 22-30	Jul 1-7	50%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	May 22-31	Jul 15-21	28%
Western Meadowlark	Feb 8-14	Mar 8-14	Apr 22-30	Oct 1-7	22%
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Mar 15-21	Apr 8-14	May 15-21	Aug 15-21	12%
Bobolink	May 15-21	May 15-21	Jun 1-7	Jul 1-7	1.1%

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 Idaho 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 Idaho

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Payette CountyBest the second week of May · 86 checklists that week, 2,860 in all86%
Adams CountyBest mid March · 97 checklists that week, 5,826 in all80%
Camas CountyBest early June · 104 checklists that week, 2,112 in all76%
Gem CountyBest mid April · 225 checklists that week, 8,320 in all74%
Canyon CountyBest early May · 720 checklists that week, 31,704 in all71%
Gooding CountyBest late May · 77 checklists that week, 3,207 in all70%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Idaho?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in Idaho all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid February, peak in late April (50% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of December) they are still on about 6.9% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Idaho?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Idaho: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.9% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Idaho?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 50% of Idaho checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Idaho?: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.