When do grackles and blackbirds leave Vermont?

Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left Vermont by early August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of November.

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

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 56% of Vermont checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Vermont?

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

6 blackbird species in Vermont

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Vermont?

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 Vermont. Red-winged Blackbirds reach Vermont in mid February, are common by the second week of March, peak in the second week of May (56% of checklists), and most are gone by early August.

When to look

First arrivalsFeb 15-21mid February

Common byMar 8-14the second week of March

PeakMay 8-14the second week of May

Most gone byAug 1-7early August

Best: the second week of May. First arrivals mid February; most are gone by early August. Peak: on about 56% of Vermont checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febuncommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julcommon
Augcommon
Seprare
Octuncommon
Novuncommon
Decnot usually seen

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Vermont, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Mar 8-14	May 8-14	Aug 1-7	56%
Common Grackle	Feb 22-28	Mar 8-14	May 8-14	Jul 15-21	33%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Mar 1-7	Mar 22-31	May 1-7	Jul 1-7	14%
Bobolink	May 1-7	May 8-14	May 22-31	Jul 1-7	12%
Rusty Blackbird	Sep 15-21	Sep 15-21	Oct 8-14	Nov 15-21	2.0%
Eastern Meadowlark	Apr 1-7	Apr 1-7	May 8-14	Jul 15-21	1.9%

Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bobolink

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 Vermont 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 Vermont

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Grand Isle CountyBest early May · 181 checklists that week, 8,507 in all72%
Franklin CountyBest the second week of May · 1096 checklists that week, 25,284 in all65%
Chittenden CountyBest the second week of May · 4738 checklists that week, 109,477 in all62%
Bennington CountyBest mid April · 623 checklists that week, 21,621 in all59%
Rutland CountyBest late April · 1598 checklists that week, 46,909 in all58%
Addison CountyBest early May · 2132 checklists that week, 77,064 in all57%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Vermont?: Red-winged Blackbirds reach Vermont in mid February, are common by the second week of March, peak in the second week of May (56% of checklists), and most are gone by early August.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Vermont?: Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left Vermont by early August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of November.
When is the best time to see grackles and blackbirds in Vermont?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 56% of Vermont checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Vermont?: Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bobolink, Rusty Blackbird, and Eastern Meadowlark are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.