When do grackles and blackbirds leave Utah?

Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Utah: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of 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 Utah?

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 30% of Utah checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Utah?

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

5 blackbird species in Utah

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Utah?

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 Utah. Red-winged Blackbirds are in Utah all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in late April (30% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of June. In the quietest week (mid August) they are still on about 11% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildFeb 22-28late February

PeakApr 22-30late April

Fall back byJun 8-14the second week of June

FewestAug 15-21mid August

Best: late April. Here all year; numbers build from late February and fall back by the second week of June. Peak: on about 30% of Utah 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 Utah, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 22-28	Feb 22-28	Apr 22-30	Jun 8-14	30%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Apr 15-21	Apr 22-30	May 22-31	Jul 15-21	19%
Western Meadowlark	Mar 15-21	Mar 15-21	Apr 15-21	Jun 15-21	18%
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Mar 8-14	Mar 22-31	May 8-14	Sep 1-7	15%
Bobolink	May 8-14	May 8-14	May 22-31	Jun 22-30	1.1%

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 Utah 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 Utah

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Duchesne CountyBest late April · 75 checklists that week, 2,692 in all56%
Box Elder CountyBest early May · 252 checklists that week, 9,867 in all55%
Morgan CountyBest early March · 120 checklists that week, 3,178 in all55%
Davis CountyBest the second week of May · 1482 checklists that week, 39,952 in all50%
Rich CountyBest the second week of May · 31 checklists that week, 1,563 in all49%
Wasatch CountyBest the second week of May · 277 checklists that week, 7,780 in all49%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Utah?: Red-winged Blackbirds are in Utah all year, but most are here in spring: numbers build from late February, peak in late April (30% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of June. In the quietest week (mid August) they are still on about 11% of checklists.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Utah?: Red-winged Blackbirds never fully leave Utah: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of 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 Utah?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 30% of Utah checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Utah?: Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.