Common Grackles in Montana
When grackles are present in Montana, when they nest, which native Montana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–6a yard.
- Status in Montana
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–6a
When to expect grackles in Montana
Common Grackles are summer residents in Montana, 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 — Rocky Mountain forest in the west, semi-arid Great Plains in the east.
Nesting in Montana
Across Montana, 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, dry summers and a short growing 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 Montana plants that attract grackles
Of the regional native plants we track for Montana, 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.
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.
Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.
Feeding grackles through the Montana 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 Montana's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are grackles in Montana year-round?
No. Common Grackles are summer breeders in Montana and leave for the winter.
When do grackles nest in Montana?
Nesting in Montana 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 Montana?
Bur oak, Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Rocky Mountain bee plant are native plants in Montana that provide food or cover for grackles.
Common Grackles in other regions
Other backyard birds in Montana
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 — Montana
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- 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.