When do grackles and blackbirds leave Mississippi?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Mississippi: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 9.6% of checklists at the low.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in early April, on about 36% of Mississippi checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Mississippi?

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 Mississippi

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Mississippi?

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 Mississippi. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Mississippi all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid January, peak in early April (36% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 9.6% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildJan 15-21mid January

PeakApr 1-7early April

Fall back byJul 15-21mid July

FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: early April. Here all year; numbers build from mid January and fall back by mid July. Peak: on about 36% of Mississippi checklists.

Jancommon
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 Mississippi, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Jan 15-21	Jan 15-21	Apr 1-7	Jul 15-21	36%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 8-14	Mar 8-14	Apr 15-21	Jul 1-7	28%
Common Grackle	Mar 22-31	Mar 22-31	May 22-31	Jul 1-7	21%
Eastern Meadowlark	Sep 22-30	Oct 8-14	May 15-21	Aug 1-7	7.8%
Bobolink	Apr 15-21	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	May 15-21	2.5%
Rusty Blackbird	Nov 22-30	Nov 22-30	Jan 22-31	Mar 1-7	2.4%

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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Quitman CountyBest late May · 12 checklists that week, 395 in all92%
Jefferson Davis CountyBest late March · 11 checklists that week, 370 in all88%
Yazoo CountyBest mid July · 12 checklists that week, 440 in all84%
Tallahatchie CountyBest the second week of May · 10 checklists that week, 303 in all84%
Humphreys CountyBest late May · 17 checklists that week, 560 in all78%
Tunica CountyBest the second week of March · 17 checklists that week, 887 in all77%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Mississippi?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in Mississippi all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid January, peak in early April (36% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 9.6% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Mississippi?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Mississippi: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 9.6% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Mississippi?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in early April, on about 36% of Mississippi checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Mississippi?: 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.