When do grackles and blackbirds leave Oregon?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Oregon: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid June, but some are still reported in every week, about 11% of checklists at the low.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 34% of Oregon checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Oregon?

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

4 blackbird species in Oregon

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Oregon?

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 Oregon. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Oregon all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid February, peak in the second week of May (34% of checklists), and fall back by mid June. In the quietest week (the second week of August) they are still on about 11% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 15-21mid February

PeakMay 8-14the second week of May

Fall back byJun 15-21mid June

FewestAug 8-14the second week of August

Best: the second week of May. Here all year; numbers build from mid February and fall back by mid June. Peak: on about 34% of Oregon checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julcommon
Auguncommon
Sepcommon
Octcommon
Novcommon
Deccommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Oregon, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Feb 15-21	May 8-14	Jun 15-21	34%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Apr 1-7	Apr 15-21	May 15-21	Jul 15-21	24%
Western Meadowlark	Aug 22-31	Sep 8-14	May 22-31	Jul 1-7	11%
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Apr 1-7	Apr 8-14	May 22-31	Aug 15-21	6.5%

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 Oregon 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 Oregon

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Klamath CountyBest mid April · 615 checklists that week, 26,875 in all60%
Crook CountyBest late March · 256 checklists that week, 9,466 in all58%
Harney CountyBest the second week of May · 2018 checklists that week, 40,943 in all58%
Morrow CountyBest the second week of May · 94 checklists that week, 3,484 in all57%
Sherman CountyBest the second week of May · 113 checklists that week, 4,629 in all53%
Washington CountyBest the second week of May · 3091 checklists that week, 110,376 in all53%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Oregon?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in Oregon all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid February, peak in the second week of May (34% of checklists), and fall back by mid June. In the quietest week (the second week of August) they are still on about 11% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Oregon?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Oregon: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid June, but some are still reported in every week, about 11% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Oregon?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 34% of Oregon checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Oregon?: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, and Yellow-headed Blackbird are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.