When do grackles and blackbirds leave Tennessee?

Brown-headed Cowbirds never fully leave Tennessee: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.8% of checklists at the low.

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

The Brown-headed Cowbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 36% of Tennessee checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Tennessee?

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

6 blackbird species in Tennessee

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Tennessee?

Photo: Nicole, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Brown-headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Common Grackles are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in Tennessee. Brown-headed Cowbirds are in Tennessee all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in mid April (36% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 2.8% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildMar 15-21mid March

PeakApr 15-21mid April

Fall back byJul 1-7early July

FewestSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from mid March and fall back by early July. Peak: on about 36% of Tennessee checklists.

Januncommon
Febuncommon
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julcommon
Auguncommon
Seprare
Octuncommon
Novuncommon
Decrare

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Tennessee, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 15-21	Mar 15-21	Apr 15-21	Jul 1-7	36%
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Feb 15-21	May 8-14	Jul 15-21	30%
Common Grackle	Mar 1-7	Mar 1-7	May 22-31	Jul 8-14	29%
Eastern Meadowlark	Feb 15-21	Feb 15-21	Mar 22-31	Jul 15-21	13%
Rusty Blackbird	Nov 1-7	Nov 8-14	Dec 8-14	Mar 15-21	2.8%
Bobolink	Apr 22-30	Apr 22-30	May 8-14	May 15-21	1.9%

Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee

Best counties for Brown-headed Cowbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Weakley CountyBest late June · 35 checklists that week, 2,092 in all90%
Houston CountyBest late June · 21 checklists that week, 1,234 in all83%
Benton CountyBest late April · 80 checklists that week, 2,202 in all75%
Lauderdale CountyBest late April · 54 checklists that week, 888 in all66%
Giles CountyBest mid May · 27 checklists that week, 803 in all63%
Haywood CountyBest the second week of April · 48 checklists that week, 1,498 in all62%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Tennessee?: Brown-headed Cowbirds are in Tennessee all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from mid March, peak in mid April (36% of checklists), and fall back by early July. In the quietest week (the second week of September) they are still on about 2.8% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Tennessee?: Brown-headed Cowbirds never fully leave Tennessee: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early July, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.8% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Tennessee?: The Brown-headed Cowbird is reported most often in mid April, on about 36% of Tennessee checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Tennessee?: Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Eastern Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Brown-headed Cowbird is the most common.