WhenToBird

8 blackbird species in Nebraska

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Nebraska?

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 Nebraska. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Nebraska all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late April (56% of checklists), and fall back by early August. In the quietest week (the second week of January) they are still on about 4.1% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakApr 22-30late April
Fall back byAug 1-7early August
FewestJan 8-14the second week of January

Best: late April. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by early August. Peak: on about 56% of Nebraska checklists.

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

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Nebraska, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Red-winged BlackbirdMar 1-7Mar 1-7Apr 22-30Aug 1-756%
Common GrackleMar 1-7Mar 15-21Jun 1-7Aug 1-754%
Brown-headed CowbirdMar 15-21Apr 8-14May 8-14Jul 22-3141%
Western MeadowlarkMar 22-31Mar 22-31Jun 8-14Jul 15-2126%
Eastern MeadowlarkMar 1-7Mar 15-21Apr 15-21Oct 8-1413%
Yellow-headed BlackbirdMar 15-21Mar 22-31Apr 22-30Sep 8-147.1%
BobolinkMay 1-7May 1-7Jun 8-14Aug 22-315.5%
Rusty BlackbirdOct 15-21Oct 15-21Nov 1-7Feb 1-71.0%
0%20%40%60%Red-winged BlackbirdCommon GrackleBrown-headed CowbirdWestern MeadowlarkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Western 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Pierce CountyBest mid June · 17 checklists that week, 516 in all88%
  2. Stanton CountyBest late June · 23 checklists that week, 835 in all87%
  3. Butler CountyBest early July · 18 checklists that week, 589 in all86%
  4. Merrick CountyBest late May · 23 checklists that week, 552 in all85%
  5. Grant CountyBest the second week of June · 12 checklists that week, 388 in all85%
  6. Deuel CountyBest late April · 12 checklists that week, 479 in all82%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Nebraska?
Red-winged Blackbirds are in Nebraska all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late April (56% of checklists), and fall back by early August. In the quietest week (the second week of January) they are still on about 4.1% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Nebraska?
Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Nebraska: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early August, but some are still reported in every week, about 4.1% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Nebraska?
The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 56% of Nebraska checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Nebraska?
Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, Eastern Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Bobolink, and Rusty Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.