Common Grackles in Manitoba
When grackles are present in Manitoba, when they nest, which native Manitoba plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 1a–3b yard.
- Status in Manitoba
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canada 1a–3b
When to expect grackles in Manitoba
Common Grackles are summer residents in Manitoba, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on beetles, grasshoppers and earthworms.
Continental, from prairie in the southwest to boreal forest and Hudson Bay tundra in the north.
Nesting in Manitoba
Across Manitoba, grackles typically nest from May–June. Nest site: bulky cup in dense conifers, often in loose colonies. Females lay 4–6 eggs, incubate for 13–14 days, and young leave the nest after 12–15 days.
Warm summers with a short, intense nesting season.
- Common Grackles don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as bur oak, paper birch for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Manitoba plants that attract grackles
Of the regional native plants we track for Manitoba, these 8 provide food or cover grackles use:
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Feeding grackles through the Manitoba year
Grackles arrive in flocks and can dominate open feeders; weight-activated and caged feeders help keep smaller birds fed.
- Best foods: Cracked corn, Sunflower.
- In Manitoba's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are grackles in Manitoba year-round?
No. Common Grackles are summer breeders in Manitoba and leave for the winter.
When do grackles nest in Manitoba?
Nesting in Manitoba typically runs May–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 13–14 days.
What native plants attract grackles in Manitoba?
Bur oak, Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch are native plants in Manitoba that provide food or cover for grackles.
Common Grackles in other regions
Other backyard birds in Manitoba
Sources
- Common Grackle — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Common Grackle life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Common Grackle — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Manitoba
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.