When do grackles and blackbirds leave Maryland?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Maryland: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late July, but some are still reported in every week, about 9.1% of checklists at the low.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 48% of Maryland checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Maryland?

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

6 blackbird species in Maryland

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Maryland?

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 Maryland. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Maryland all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in late April (48% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 9.1% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 22-28late February

PeakApr 22-30late April

Fall back byJul 22-31late July

FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: late April. Here all year; numbers build from late February and fall back by late July. Peak: on about 48% of Maryland 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 Maryland, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 22-28	Feb 22-28	Apr 22-30	Jul 22-31	48%
Common Grackle	Mar 1-7	Mar 1-7	May 22-31	Jul 22-31	40%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 22-31	Mar 22-31	Apr 22-30	Jul 1-7	36%
Eastern Meadowlark	Feb 15-21	Feb 22-28	Jun 1-7	Aug 8-14	4.1%
Bobolink	Aug 1-7	Aug 1-7	Sep 1-7	Oct 8-14	3.3%
Rusty Blackbird	Oct 15-21	Oct 15-21	Apr 1-7	Apr 22-30	2.2%

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 Maryland 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 Maryland

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Queen Anne's CountyBest late April · 848 checklists that week, 26,875 in all74%
Kent CountyBest early June · 284 checklists that week, 13,396 in all73%
Dorchester CountyBest mid April · 507 checklists that week, 26,161 in all65%
Somerset CountyBest early April · 216 checklists that week, 9,451 in all65%
Prince George's CountyBest mid April · 2398 checklists that week, 87,907 in all63%
Talbot CountyBest mid June · 592 checklists that week, 31,140 in all62%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Maryland?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in Maryland all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in late April (48% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 9.1% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Maryland?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Maryland: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late July, but some are still reported in every week, about 9.1% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Maryland?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 48% of Maryland checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Maryland?: Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, and Rusty Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.