WhenToBird

6 blackbird species in North Carolina

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in North Carolina?

Adult female Brown-headed Cowbird
Photo: Nicole, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Grackles, and Red-winged Blackbirds are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in North Carolina. Brown-headed Cowbirds are in North Carolina all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in mid April (29% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 2.5% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 15-21mid March
PeakApr 15-21mid April
Fall back byJul 1-7early July
FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from mid March and fall back by early July. Peak: on about 29% of North Carolina checklists.

  1. Janrare
  2. Febuncommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Juncommon
  7. Julcommon
  8. Auguncommon
  9. Seprare
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novuncommon
  12. Decrare

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

Grackles and blackbirds in North Carolina, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Brown-headed CowbirdMar 15-21Mar 15-21Apr 15-21Jul 1-729%
Common GrackleMar 1-7Mar 1-7May 8-14Jul 1-726%
Red-winged BlackbirdFeb 15-21Feb 15-21Apr 22-30Jul 15-2122%
Eastern MeadowlarkOct 1-7Oct 8-14May 22-31Aug 8-146.5%
Rusty BlackbirdNov 1-7Nov 1-7Nov 15-21Apr 1-71.9%
BobolinkApr 15-21Apr 15-21May 1-7May 22-311.8%
0%10%20%30%Brown-headed CowbirdCommon GrackleRed-winged BlackbirdEastern MeadowlarkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina

Best counties for Brown-headed Cowbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Camden CountyBest late March · 45 checklists that week, 1,667 in all71%
  2. Gates CountyBest the second week of June · 83 checklists that week, 4,066 in all61%
  3. Lenoir CountyBest mid April · 62 checklists that week, 2,189 in all58%
  4. Bladen CountyBest the second week of August · 43 checklists that week, 3,758 in all57%
  5. Cleveland CountyBest early April · 131 checklists that week, 6,121 in all52%
  6. Scotland CountyBest the second week of April · 78 checklists that week, 3,267 in all51%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in North Carolina?
Brown-headed Cowbirds are in North Carolina all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in mid April (29% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 2.5% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave North Carolina?
Brown-headed Cowbirds never fully leave North Carolina: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.5% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in North Carolina?
The Brown-headed Cowbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 29% of North Carolina checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in North Carolina?
Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Brown-headed Cowbird is the most common.