Minnesota · Summer breeder

Common Grackles in Minnesota

When grackles are present in Minnesota, when they nest, which native Minnesota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula

Status in Minnesota: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–June
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–5b

When to expect grackles in Minnesota

Common Grackles are summer residents in Minnesota, 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, with very cold winters and warm summers; prairie in the west, boreal forest in the northeast.

Nesting in Minnesota

Across Minnesota, 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.

A short, intense breeding season; most nesting runs May through July.

Common Grackles don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as bur oak, white oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Minnesota plants that attract grackles

Of the regional native plants we track for Minnesota, these 8 provide food or cover grackles use:

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Acorns and bark insects.

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Nectar and seed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea · Perennial

Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.

Common sunflower

Helianthus annuus · Perennial

Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium · Perennial

Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.

Feeding grackles through the Minnesota 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 Minnesota's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for grackles · Best feeder for grackles

Frequently asked

Are grackles in Minnesota year-round?

No. Common Grackles are summer breeders in Minnesota and leave for the winter.

When do grackles nest in Minnesota?

Nesting in Minnesota 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 Minnesota?

Bur oak, Wild bergamot, White oak, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem are native plants in Minnesota that provide food or cover for grackles.

Other backyard birds in Minnesota

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

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.