WhenToBird

8 blackbird species in Oklahoma

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Oklahoma?

Adult male Red-winged Blackbird
Photo: infiniteuniverse, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Common Grackles are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in Oklahoma. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Oklahoma all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from the second week of February, peak in the second week of April (35% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 8.3% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 8-14the second week of February
PeakApr 8-14the second week of April
Fall back byJul 8-14the second week of July
FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: the second week of April. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of February and fall back by the second week of July. Peak: on about 35% of Oklahoma checklists.

  1. Jancommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julcommon
  8. Auguncommon
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novcommon
  12. Deccommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Oklahoma, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Red-winged BlackbirdFeb 8-14Feb 8-14Apr 8-14Jul 8-1435%
Brown-headed CowbirdJan 1-7Mar 15-21May 8-14Jul 8-1434%
Common GrackleMar 15-21Mar 15-21Jun 1-7Jul 15-2124%
Eastern MeadowlarkSep 15-21Oct 8-14Apr 8-14Aug 1-715%
Western MeadowlarkAug 15-21Sep 22-30Mar 8-14Jul 15-215.3%
Yellow-headed BlackbirdApr 1-7Apr 1-7Apr 15-21May 8-143.5%
Rusty BlackbirdNov 8-14Nov 8-14Dec 22-31Mar 8-141.5%
BobolinkApr 22-30Apr 22-30May 8-14May 15-211.4%
0%10%20%30%40%Red-winged BlackbirdBrown-headed CowbirdCommon GrackleEastern MeadowlarkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Common Grackle
  • 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Tillman CountyBest early July · 13 checklists that week, 1,199 in all66%
  2. Grant CountyBest the second week of May · 15 checklists that week, 307 in all62%
  3. Beaver CountyBest mid May · 13 checklists that week, 838 in all61%
  4. Kingfisher CountyBest mid November · 21 checklists that week, 389 in all61%
  5. Canadian CountyBest the second week of June · 48 checklists that week, 4,307 in all61%
  6. Harper CountyBest late March · 100 checklists that week, 930 in all57%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Oklahoma?
Red-winged Blackbirds are in Oklahoma all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from the second week of February, peak in the second week of April (35% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 8.3% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Oklahoma?
Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Oklahoma: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of July, but some are still reported in every week, about 8.3% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Oklahoma?
The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of April, on about 35% of Oklahoma checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Oklahoma?
Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.