When do grackles and blackbirds leave North Dakota?

Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left North Dakota by early August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early November.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of June, on about 58% of North Dakota checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in North Dakota?

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

7 blackbird species in North Dakota

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in North Dakota?

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 North Dakota. Red-winged Blackbirds reach North Dakota in the second week of March, are common by early April, peak in the second week of June (58% of checklists), and most are gone by early August.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 8-14the second week of March

Common byApr 1-7early April

PeakJun 8-14the second week of June

Most gone byAug 1-7early August

Best: the second week of June. First arrivals the second week of March; most are gone by early August. Peak: on about 58% of North Dakota checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Maruncommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augcommon
Sepuncommon
Octuncommon
Novrare
Decnot usually seen

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

Grackles and blackbirds in North Dakota, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Mar 8-14	Apr 1-7	Jun 8-14	Aug 1-7	58%
Common Grackle	Mar 15-21	Apr 1-7	May 22-31	Oct 1-7	57%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	May 22-31	Jul 8-14	45%
Western Meadowlark	Mar 8-14	Mar 22-31	Jun 15-21	Oct 1-7	40%
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Apr 8-14	Apr 15-21	Jun 8-14	Aug 1-7	24%
Bobolink	May 8-14	May 15-21	Jun 8-14	Jul 8-14	23%
Rusty Blackbird	Sep 22-30	Oct 8-14	Oct 22-31	Nov 8-14	6.2%

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 North Dakota 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 Dakota

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Sheridan CountyBest the second week of July · 11 checklists that week, 620 in all96%
Renville CountyBest mid June · 23 checklists that week, 415 in all92%
Wells CountyBest early July · 11 checklists that week, 416 in all90%
Griggs CountyBest late June · 14 checklists that week, 372 in all89%
Logan CountyBest mid June · 18 checklists that week, 443 in all86%
Sargent CountyBest the second week of June · 15 checklists that week, 894 in all84%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in North Dakota?: Red-winged Blackbirds reach North Dakota in the second week of March, are common by early April, peak in the second week of June (58% of checklists), and most are gone by early August.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave North Dakota?: Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left North Dakota by early August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early November.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in North Dakota?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of June, on about 58% of North Dakota checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in North Dakota?: Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Bobolink, and Rusty Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.