We saw this guy sitting contently at the edge of a temporary pond along a quiet country road in eastern Colorado. I know grackles have a bad reputation with many but that reputation sure cannot be based upon their looks and what a fine looking guy he is.
nature has no boss 
No doubt, he was serving as a wind vane. We have a lot of common grackles around here now. They empty the feeders, demolish suet, and roam the lawn for insects. Soon they will be elsewhere and all will quiet down.
They are sort of like a motorcycle gang of the bird world.
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We have the common grackles arriving this week in town as well. True they can lay waste to a feeder in nothing flat but roaming the lawns for insects is not all bad? Even motorcycles gangs of the bird world have a roll to play in this game.
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That tail is most certainly great!
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Hi and yes a great tail indeed.
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thats such a huge tail for that bird! I wonder why? They must be very agile in the air?
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HI, I have yet to look into that question and why they developed a longer tail than common grackles. Perhaps it is all show for the ladies might be another explaination to consider. Better do a little homework on this one.
Have a great weekend.
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The grackle reminds me a bit of a cross between a UK Jackdaw and an NZ Tui…kind of. Are they part of the crow family?
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Hi Graham, not part of the crow but part of the blackbird family. they have a very distinctive sound which many liken to a squeaky swing set going back and forth.
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I wouldn’t have guessed blackbird but now you have said it, the tail does look similar. Interesting. I can imagine a squeaky swing becoming rather annoying rather quickly…WD40 please! 😄
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Every time I get the can of WD-40 out they fly off…go figure. 🙂
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I love the colour in the light. Did you hear it’s song? the song of the Mexican boat tailed grackle is beautiful compared to the common grackle yet they are similar in look other than the tails.
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Hi Maggie, no we did not hear this one sing. I have only heard common a grackles song so I can’t even imagine something sweet coming from a Grackle. That’s not to say I don’t like a Grackles song.
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It took me a while to figure out where the song was coming from because I couldn’t any other bird. I didn’t consider it was the grackle.
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Hi Maggie, I think I would had done the exact same thing.
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I have only discovered the grackle a year ago but was immediately taken with its beauty and attitude. They haven’t been a nuisance in my yard although I expect they do have a dark side. Right now, I am content to admire them and am always happy to see one.
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