WhenToBird

6 blackbird species in South Carolina

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in South Carolina?

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 South Carolina. Red-winged Blackbirds are in South Carolina all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late December, peak in early March (26% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 7.3% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildDec 22-31late December
PeakMar 1-7early March
Fall back byJul 15-21mid July
FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: early March. Here all year; numbers build from late December and fall back by mid July. Peak: on about 26% of South Carolina checklists.

  1. Jancommon
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novcommon
  12. Deccommon

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

Grackles and blackbirds in South Carolina, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Red-winged BlackbirdDec 22-31Dec 22-31Mar 1-7Jul 15-2126%
Brown-headed CowbirdMar 15-21Mar 15-21Apr 22-30Jul 1-726%
Common GrackleMar 8-14Mar 8-14May 8-14Jul 1-724%
Eastern MeadowlarkOct 1-7Oct 8-14May 22-31Aug 1-74.3%
Rusty BlackbirdNov 8-14Nov 8-14Dec 8-14Mar 15-212.4%
BobolinkApr 15-21Apr 15-21May 1-7May 15-212.1%
0%10%20%30%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 South 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 South Carolina

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Jasper CountyBest mid June · 181 checklists that week, 12,443 in all78%
  2. Georgetown CountyBest late April · 872 checklists that week, 32,234 in all62%
  3. Clarendon CountyBest the second week of March · 168 checklists that week, 9,189 in all58%
  4. Marlboro CountyBest late June · 10 checklists that week, 686 in all54%
  5. Marion CountyBest late November · 10 checklists that week, 327 in all50%
  6. Colleton CountyBest the second week of July · 79 checklists that week, 8,909 in all50%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in South Carolina?
Red-winged Blackbirds are in South Carolina all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late December, peak in early March (26% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 7.3% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave South Carolina?
Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave South Carolina: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 7.3% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in South Carolina?
The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in early March, on about 26% of South Carolina checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in South Carolina?
Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.