Common Grackles in Wisconsin
When grackles are present in Wisconsin, when they nest, which native Wisconsin plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6a yard.
- Status in Wisconsin
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6a
When to expect grackles in Wisconsin
Common Grackles are summer residents in Wisconsin, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on beetles, grasshoppers and earthworms.
Humid continental, with two Great Lakes shorelines, northern forest and southern prairie-oak savanna.
Nesting in Wisconsin
Across Wisconsin, 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, humid summers.
- Common Grackles don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as white oak, bur oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Wisconsin plants that attract grackles
Of the regional native plants we track for Wisconsin, these 8 provide food or cover grackles use:
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.
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.
Feeding grackles through the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are grackles in Wisconsin year-round?
No. Common Grackles are summer breeders in Wisconsin and leave for the winter.
When do grackles nest in Wisconsin?
Nesting in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
White oak, Bur oak, Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem are native plants in Wisconsin that provide food or cover for grackles.
Common Grackles in other regions
Other backyard birds in Wisconsin
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 — Wisconsin
- 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.