"Dealing" with Grackles

I admit I haven't written much or read up much on Common Grackles, other than being able to answer customers questions on how to keep them off birdfeeders. Though they are beautiful birds to look at with their shiny iridescence, they aren't much desired at feeders by many birdfeeding enthusiasts.

Maybe it's because of their size - their 1-foot length and 17" wingspan dwarf our favorite feeder birds. Maybe it's their "mob mentality", showing up almost always in groups that when combined with their size, makes them a formidable group, taking up lots of space on the feeders and leaving little room for other birds. And when they show up in these groups, these big birds can consume a lot of seed and suet!

Lots of grackles!

I also haven't posted much on grackles because frankly I don't see many of them in my yard. Maybe I'll have a few pass through during spring migration and again during fall migration, but nothing to "ruffle my feathers" so to speak.

In late summer, grackles start forming flocks to migrate out of our area. They don't migrate far; they winter all across southern New York and throughout the eastern states, midwest, southeast, and mid-south. The fact that they migrate offers some solace to those in our area who complain about grackles at their birdfeeders: "Don't worry, this too shall pass. They'll be migrating soon."

Over the last week or so, I've had more grackles in my yard than any other fall migration. Something like 40 of them have been in the yard. They've been mostly on the ground, but a few on the larger hopper-type feeders. As the flock has grown and they've become more accustomed to the yard, they've been trying to eat from feeders that are a little tougher for them to negotiate, like the suet log and the seed tube. They're not the strongest clingers, so hanging on to the side of the suet log requires some effort, and their larger size makes it just a bit tougher to sit on a small tube feeder perch and to reach into the portal.

Struggling to hang on to a suet log

If I wanted to deter them, I could fill the hopper feeders with safflower seed, which they don't care for much. I could put suet cakes out in an upside-down style feeder - they would have a hard time clinging upside down to access the suet, whereas woodpeckers, chickadees, and the like would have no trouble. Or if I really wanted to clear them out, I could just take my feeders down for a few days (a good time for a fall feeder cleaning?) and let them move on.

Grackles establishing dominance

I'm not taking any of these actions though. Sure, there are lots of them, but their presence has given me the opportunity to watch them more, admire their perhaps underappreciated beauty, see their kids, and learn more about them. Maybe it's easier for me to welcome them into my yard knowing that they aren't here for the long haul, but who am I to anoint a species with the "bad bird" label?  I'll "deal with the grackles" by just letting them be grackles.

I believe this grackle is molting - grackles molt once a year

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Kathiesbirds & webdev, my grackles seemed to have moved on as well. I'm seeing only 1-2 at at time. The big gatherings were only here for a week at the most.

[web developer perth]

I am not seeing as many anymore, about 5 per day, so that is good. I always enjoy watching fledgling behavior!

[Kathiesbirds]

I have them here in my yard almost every day. A few weeks ago there were more, but never as many as 40 at one time. They do consume a lot of seed and suet. I have tried my best to deter them by using the cage covered tube type feeders and trying to make access to suet more difficult. I think they have already started to move on as I am not seeing as many anymore, about 5 per day, so that is good. when they arrived in the spring there were hordes however!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Diane, good for you, practicing good ol' zen acceptance of the grackles!
Margaret, interesting about them hitting the beechnut trees.
mm, yeah, lots of young'ens in the group.

[missing moments]

These guys show up sporadically in my yard ... always a group of them. Many teenagers right now. Awnry guys!

[Margaret]

They've never shown at the feeders, but occasionally a group blows through in the early fall to gorge on beechnuts. You have to make sure you've got your pith helmet on when that happens!

[Diane]

I agree about the large groups, they can eat a lot of seed and make a mess spreading it around.
It is interesting though to watch them using their beaks like levers to pry open the feed holes on my squirrel and large bird proof feeder. In fact I don't mind them at all when they work for their food and entertain me while doing it!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Ellen, even today, my grackles numbers have decreased. So maybe your G3 group will be moving on soon!

[Ellen]

I don't mind grackles in small groups. We've had grackles visit our feeders with their young. I always enjoy watching fledgling behavior!

It's only when the large migratory groups show up in September or October that I refer to them as Great Greedy Grackles. :)