WhenToBird

8 blackbird species in Kansas

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Kansas?

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 Kansas. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Kansas all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in mid April (45% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 9.7% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakApr 15-21mid April
Fall back byJul 15-21mid July
FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by mid July. Peak: on about 45% of Kansas checklists.

  1. Januncommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novcommon
  12. Decuncommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Kansas, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Red-winged BlackbirdMar 1-7Mar 1-7Apr 15-21Jul 15-2145%
Common GrackleFeb 15-21Mar 8-14Jun 1-7Aug 1-742%
Brown-headed CowbirdMar 1-7Apr 1-7May 8-14Jul 15-2140%
Eastern MeadowlarkMar 15-21Mar 15-21Jun 1-7Jul 22-3125%
Western MeadowlarkMar 1-7Mar 1-7Apr 1-7Jul 1-79.7%
Yellow-headed BlackbirdMar 15-21Mar 15-21Apr 15-21Oct 8-144.2%
BobolinkApr 22-30Apr 22-30May 8-14May 15-211.5%
Rusty BlackbirdNov 1-7Nov 1-7Dec 8-14Mar 22-311.4%
0%20%40%60%Red-winged BlackbirdCommon GrackleBrown-headed CowbirdEastern MeadowlarkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • 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 Kansas 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 Kansas

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Stafford CountyBest the second week of June · 87 checklists that week, 6,839 in all80%
  2. Pratt CountyBest late April · 102 checklists that week, 1,637 in all79%
  3. Norton CountyBest early June · 13 checklists that week, 426 in all78%
  4. Gray CountyBest late June · 12 checklists that week, 483 in all73%
  5. Neosho CountyBest early July · 36 checklists that week, 2,366 in all72%
  6. Kiowa CountyBest late May · 66 checklists that week, 1,540 in all72%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Kansas?
Red-winged Blackbirds are in Kansas all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in mid April (45% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 9.7% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Kansas?
Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Kansas: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 9.7% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Kansas?
The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 45% of Kansas checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Kansas?
Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Bobolink, and Rusty Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.