When do grackles and blackbirds leave Kentucky?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Kentucky: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.6% of checklists at the low.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of April, on about 46% of Kentucky checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Kentucky?

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 Kentucky

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Kentucky?

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 Kentucky. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Kentucky all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in the second week of April (46% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 6.6% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 22-28late February

PeakApr 8-14the second week of April

Fall back byJul 15-21mid July

FewestDec 15-21mid December

Best: the second week of April. Here all year; numbers build from late February and fall back by mid July. Peak: on about 46% of Kentucky checklists.

Januncommon
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augcommon
Sepuncommon
Octcommon
Novcommon
Decuncommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Kentucky, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 22-28	Feb 22-28	Apr 8-14	Jul 15-21	46%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 22-31	Mar 22-31	Apr 22-30	Jul 1-7	45%
Common Grackle	Mar 1-7	Mar 1-7	May 8-14	Jul 22-31	44%
Eastern Meadowlark	Feb 22-28	Feb 22-28	Apr 1-7	Jul 8-14	15%
Rusty Blackbird	Nov 1-7	Nov 1-7	Nov 15-21	Apr 8-14	1.9%
Bobolink	Apr 22-30	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	Sep 22-30	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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Fulton CountyBest mid May · 45 checklists that week, 1,443 in all86%
Mercer CountyBest late March · 74 checklists that week, 1,919 in all84%
Simpson CountyBest early May · 13 checklists that week, 663 in all84%
Morgan CountyBest early July · 10 checklists that week, 282 in all83%
Logan CountyBest the second week of May · 71 checklists that week, 1,991 in all81%
Todd CountyBest late May · 27 checklists that week, 2,920 in all81%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Kentucky?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in Kentucky all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in the second week of April (46% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (mid December) they are still on about 6.6% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Kentucky?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Kentucky: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.6% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Kentucky?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of April, on about 46% of Kentucky checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Kentucky?: 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.