WhenToBird

6 blackbird species in Pennsylvania

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Pennsylvania?

Adult male Red-winged Blackbird
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 Pennsylvania. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Pennsylvania all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late April (52% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (the second week of January) they are still on about 4.4% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 1-7early March
PeakApr 22-30late April
Fall back byJul 22-31late July
FewestJan 8-14the second week of January

Best: late April. Here all year; numbers build from early March and fall back by late July. Peak: on about 52% of Pennsylvania checklists.

  1. Janrare
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novuncommon
  12. Decrare

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Pennsylvania, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Red-winged BlackbirdMar 1-7Mar 1-7Apr 22-30Jul 22-3152%
Common GrackleFeb 1-7Feb 22-28May 22-31Aug 8-1439%
Brown-headed CowbirdFeb 8-14Mar 15-21Apr 22-30Jul 8-1435%
Eastern MeadowlarkMar 1-7Mar 1-7Jun 1-7Aug 1-74.5%
Rusty BlackbirdFeb 22-28Feb 22-28Apr 8-14May 1-73.3%
BobolinkMay 1-7May 1-7Jun 1-7Jul 8-143.1%
0%20%40%60%Red-winged BlackbirdCommon GrackleBrown-headed CowbirdEastern MeadowlarkJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Greene CountyBest the second week of April · 100 checklists that week, 2,997 in all74%
  2. Bradford CountyBest late April · 230 checklists that week, 6,088 in all70%
  3. Montour CountyBest late April · 304 checklists that week, 6,082 in all70%
  4. Susquehanna CountyBest early May · 736 checklists that week, 22,573 in all70%
  5. Lawrence CountyBest early June · 359 checklists that week, 15,430 in all68%
  6. Venango CountyBest late April · 112 checklists that week, 2,831 in all68%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Pennsylvania?
Red-winged Blackbirds are in Pennsylvania all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from early March, peak in late April (52% of checklists), and fall back by late July. In the quietest week (the second week of January) they are still on about 4.4% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Pennsylvania?
Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Pennsylvania: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late July, but some are still reported in every week, about 4.4% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Pennsylvania?
The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 52% of Pennsylvania checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Pennsylvania?
Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.