When do grackles and blackbirds leave Louisiana?

The Red-winged Blackbird does not leave Louisiana: it is reported all year, from 10% of checklists in the second week of September to 42% in mid April.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 42% of Louisiana checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Louisiana?

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

6 blackbird species in Louisiana

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Louisiana?

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 Louisiana. The Red-winged Blackbird is in Louisiana all year. It turns up on about 42% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 10% in its quietest week (the second week of September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekApr 15-21mid April

Quietest weekSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid April. Here all year. Peak: on about 42% of Louisiana checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augcommon
Sepuncommon
Octcommon
Novcommon
Deccommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Louisiana, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	all year	–	Apr 15-21	–	42%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 1-7	Mar 1-7	Apr 15-21	Jul 1-7	26%
Common Grackle	Mar 1-7	Mar 1-7	May 1-7	Jul 1-7	25%
Eastern Meadowlark	Sep 15-21	Oct 15-21	May 8-14	Aug 1-7	7.9%
Bobolink	Apr 15-21	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	May 8-14	1.6%
Rusty Blackbird	Nov 22-30	Nov 22-30	Feb 8-14	Mar 8-14	1.1%

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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

East Carroll ParishBest the second week of April · 11 checklists that week, 317 in all94%
Richland ParishBest early June · 16 checklists that week, 835 in all86%
St. Charles ParishBest the second week of July · 10 checklists that week, 969 in all85%
Red River ParishBest late April · 36 checklists that week, 998 in all83%
Concordia ParishBest early May · 24 checklists that week, 983 in all80%
Madison ParishBest late April · 15 checklists that week, 491 in all79%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Louisiana?: The Red-winged Blackbird is in Louisiana all year. It turns up on about 42% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 10% in its quietest week (the second week of September).
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Louisiana?: The Red-winged Blackbird does not leave Louisiana: it is reported all year, from 10% of checklists in the second week of September to 42% in mid April.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Louisiana?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 42% of Louisiana checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Louisiana?: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, and Rusty Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.