When do grackles and blackbirds leave Wyoming?

Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left Wyoming by the second week of October, 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 Wyoming?

The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 49% of Wyoming checklists.

Which grackles and blackbirds are in Wyoming?

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

6 blackbird species in Wyoming

When Do Grackles and blackbirds Arrive in Wyoming?

Photo: infiniteuniverse, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Red-winged Blackbirds, Western Meadowlarks, and Common Grackles are the grackles and blackbirds you are most likely to see in Wyoming. Red-winged Blackbirds reach Wyoming in mid February, are common by early March, peak in late April (49% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.

When to look

First arrivalsFeb 15-21mid February

Common byMar 1-7early March

PeakApr 22-30late April

Most gone byOct 8-14the second week of October

Best: late April. First arrivals mid February; most are gone by the second week of October. Peak: on about 49% of Wyoming checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febuncommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Auguncommon
Sepuncommon
Octuncommon
Novrare
Decnot usually seen

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

Grackles and blackbirds in Wyoming, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Red-winged Blackbird	Feb 15-21	Mar 1-7	Apr 22-30	Oct 8-14	49%
Western Meadowlark	Mar 8-14	Mar 15-21	Apr 22-30	Oct 8-14	33%
Common Grackle	Mar 22-31	Apr 8-14	May 8-14	Sep 22-30	31%
Brown-headed Cowbird	Apr 15-21	May 1-7	May 22-31	Jul 15-21	21%
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Apr 1-7	Apr 8-14	May 1-7	Sep 1-7	11%
Bobolink	May 8-14	May 8-14	May 22-31	Jun 22-30	1.1%

Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird

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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming

Best counties for Red-winged Blackbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Sheridan CountyBest late April · 264 checklists that week, 6,459 in all66%
Laramie CountyBest the second week of May · 740 checklists that week, 15,593 in all63%
Goshen CountyBest mid April · 20 checklists that week, 1,920 in all59%
Fremont CountyBest late April · 990 checklists that week, 27,707 in all58%
Natrona CountyBest the second week of May · 176 checklists that week, 5,810 in all57%
Weston CountyBest mid May · 73 checklists that week, 2,297 in all57%

Common questions

When do grackles and blackbirds arrive in Wyoming?: Red-winged Blackbirds reach Wyoming in mid February, are common by early March, peak in late April (49% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.
When do grackles and blackbirds leave Wyoming?: Most Red-winged Blackbirds have left Wyoming by the second week of October, 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 Wyoming?: The Red-winged Blackbird is reported most often in late April, on about 49% of Wyoming checklists.
Which grackles and blackbirds are in Wyoming?: Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Bobolink are reported regularly; the Red-winged Blackbird is the most common.