WhenToBird

6 blackbird species in Massachusetts

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Massachusetts?

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 Massachusetts. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Massachusetts all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in early May (61% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (mid January) they are still on about 3.7% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakMay 1-7early May
Fall back byJul 22-31late July
FewestJan 15-21mid January

Best: early May. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by late July. Peak: on about 61% of Massachusetts checklists.

  1. Janrare
  2. Febuncommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augcommon
  9. Seprare
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novuncommon
  12. Decrare

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Massachusetts, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Red-winged BlackbirdMar 1-7Mar 1-7May 1-7Jul 22-3161%
Common GrackleFeb 8-14Mar 1-7May 22-31Sep 1-756%
Brown-headed CowbirdMar 1-7Mar 22-31May 1-7Jul 8-1428%
BobolinkMay 1-7May 1-7May 22-31Oct 1-75.9%
Rusty BlackbirdSep 22-30Sep 22-30Oct 15-21Dec 1-72.4%
Eastern MeadowlarkOct 1-7Oct 1-7Jun 8-14Aug 8-141.6%
0%20%40%60%80%Red-winged BlackbirdCommon GrackleBrown-headed CowbirdBobolinkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Bobolink
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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Middlesex CountyBest the second week of May · 14184 checklists that week, 307,511 in all68%
  2. Essex CountyBest early May · 7023 checklists that week, 213,973 in all65%
  3. Nantucket CountyBest early June · 372 checklists that week, 23,895 in all65%
  4. Bristol CountyBest the second week of May · 2245 checklists that week, 65,262 in all64%
  5. Barnstable CountyBest the second week of May · 6629 checklists that week, 215,188 in all63%
  6. Norfolk CountyBest early May · 4058 checklists that week, 114,756 in all63%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Massachusetts?
Red-winged Blackbirds are in Massachusetts all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in early May (61% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (mid January) they are still on about 3.7% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Massachusetts?
Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Massachusetts: 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 Massachusetts?
The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in early May, on about 61% of Massachusetts checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Massachusetts?
Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bobolink, Rusty Blackbird, and Eastern Meadowlark are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.