When do grackles and blackbirds leave Indiana?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Indiana: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late July, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.7% of checklists at the low.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 59% of Indiana checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Indiana?

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

6 blackbird species in Indiana

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Indiana?

Photo: infiniteuniverse, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Common Grackles are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in Indiana. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Indiana all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in mid April (59% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 3.7% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 22-28late February

PeakApr 15-21mid April

Fall back byJul 22-31late July

FewestDec 15-21mid December

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from late February and fall back by late July. Peak: on about 59% of Indiana checklists.

Janrare
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augcommon
Sepuncommon
Octcommon
Novcommon
Decrare

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Indiana, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 22-28	Feb 22-28	Apr 15-21	Jul 22-31	59%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Feb 15-21	Mar 22-31	Apr 22-30	Jul 8-14	46%
Common Grackle	Feb 1-7	Feb 22-28	Jun 1-7	Aug 1-7	34%
Eastern Meadowlark	Dec 8-14	Feb 15-21	Jun 1-7	Aug 8-14	10%
Rusty Blackbird	Feb 8-14	Feb 8-14	Mar 22-31	Apr 22-30	3.6%
Bobolink	Apr 22-30	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	Jul 1-7	1.7%

Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
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 Indiana 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 Indiana

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Whitley CountyBest the second week of May · 156 checklists that week, 4,695 in all92%
Noble CountyBest early May · 305 checklists that week, 9,080 in all88%
Benton CountyBest early July · 17 checklists that week, 993 in all85%
Blackford CountyBest the second week of May · 35 checklists that week, 962 in all85%
Jay CountyBest late April · 47 checklists that week, 1,334 in all85%
Adams CountyBest early June · 28 checklists that week, 1,306 in all83%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Indiana?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in Indiana all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in mid April (59% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 3.7% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Indiana?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Indiana: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late July, but some are still reported in every week, about 3.7% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Indiana?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 59% of Indiana checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Indiana?: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.