When do grackles and blackbirds leave New Mexico?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave New Mexico: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late June, but some are still reported in every week, about 7.4% of checklists at the low.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 22% of New Mexico checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in New Mexico?

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

5 blackbird species in New Mexico

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in New Mexico?

Photo: infiniteuniverse, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Western Meadowlarks are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in New Mexico. Red-winged Blackbirds are in New Mexico all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid February, peak in mid April (22% of checklists), and fall back by late June. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 7.4% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 15-21mid February

PeakApr 15-21mid April

Fall back byJun 22-30late June

FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from mid February and fall back by late June. Peak: on about 22% of New Mexico checklists.

Jancommon
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julcommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Deccommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in New Mexico, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Feb 15-21	Apr 15-21	Jun 22-30	22%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Apr 8-14	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	Jul 22-31	17%
Western Meadowlark	Jan 15-21	Jan 15-21	Apr 1-7	Jul 1-7	9.5%
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Jul 1-7	Jul 1-7	Sep 8-14	Oct 15-21	7.3%
Common Grackle	Apr 1-7	Apr 1-7	May 8-14	Nov 1-7	2.7%

Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird

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 Mexico 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 Mexico

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

De Baca CountyBest early June · 17 checklists that week, 2,203 in all56%
Valencia CountyBest the second week of April · 241 checklists that week, 8,351 in all54%
Chaves CountyBest the second week of June · 61 checklists that week, 5,298 in all53%
Socorro CountyBest early April · 685 checklists that week, 33,508 in all45%
Lea CountyBest late May · 136 checklists that week, 2,698 in all41%
Dona Ana CountyBest late June · 399 checklists that week, 29,776 in all41%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in New Mexico?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in New Mexico all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid February, peak in mid April (22% of checklists), and fall back by late June. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 7.4% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave New Mexico?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave New Mexico: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late June, but some are still reported in every week, about 7.4% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in New Mexico?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 22% of New Mexico checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in New Mexico?: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Common Grackle are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.