When do grackles and blackbirds leave New Hampshire?

Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left New Hampshire by late July, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early September.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in early May, on about 49% of New Hampshire checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in New Hampshire?

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

5 blackbird species in New Hampshire

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in New Hampshire?

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 New Hampshire. Red-winged Blackbirds reach New Hampshire in mid February, are common by early March, peak in early May (49% of checklists), and most are gone by late July.

When to look

First arrivalsFeb 15-21mid February

Common byMar 1-7early March

PeakMay 1-7early May

Most gone byJul 22-31late July

Best: early May. First arrivals mid February; most are gone by late July. Peak: on about 49% of New Hampshire checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febuncommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julcommon
Auguncommon
Seprare
Octuncommon
Novuncommon
Decnot usually seen

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

Grackles and blackbirds in New Hampshire, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Mar 1-7	May 1-7	Jul 22-31	49%
Common Grackle	Feb 22-28	Mar 8-14	May 15-21	Jul 15-21	33%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 1-7	Mar 22-31	May 1-7	Jul 8-14	17%
Bobolink	May 1-7	May 1-7	May 22-31	Oct 1-7	6.5%
Rusty Blackbird	Sep 15-21	Sep 15-21	Oct 15-21	Nov 22-30	2.4%

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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Rockingham CountyBest early May · 2815 checklists that week, 84,864 in all58%
Merrimack CountyBest late April · 1386 checklists that week, 36,980 in all54%
Hillsborough CountyBest the second week of May · 2163 checklists that week, 50,125 in all53%
Strafford CountyBest the second week of May · 1595 checklists that week, 41,888 in all51%
Sullivan CountyBest early May · 409 checklists that week, 13,105 in all49%
Cheshire CountyBest early May · 1289 checklists that week, 39,834 in all47%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in New Hampshire?: Red-winged Blackbirds reach New Hampshire in mid February, are common by early March, peak in early May (49% of checklists), and most are gone by late July.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave New Hampshire?: Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left New Hampshire by late July, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early September.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in New Hampshire?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in early May, on about 49% of New Hampshire checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in New Hampshire?: Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bobolink, and Rusty Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.