‘Tis the season for huge flocks of common grackles to fill the sky and, in recent days, descend into the front and back yards of our home. A quick Google search revealed that groups of the stolid black birds with iridescent purple heads can be called a flock or, more pointedly, a plague or an annoyance.
On a recent morning at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, I watched in awe as at least 200 grackles flew overhead in a long, sinuous column. I figured it wouldn’t be long before a swarm would find our property.
Twice in the last three days, I’ve looked out our back windows to find grackles covering our yard and attacking the suet feeder. Often, five or six of them will slam into one another as they fight for morsels from the cage.
The birds will stay for a few minutes and then, spooked by who knows what, take off en masse and land in a neighbor’s yard or on the adjoining golf course.
The flocks are impressive, if a bit intimidating, like a black-jacketed motorcyle gang showing up at a block party.
The grackles chow down heartily on our suet, but I don’t begrudge them the treat. In our yard, whatever food I set out for our feathered friends is available to all as their diets demand, table manners not required. 🦅
The Jersey Birder 
Glad you don’t mind feeding the biker gangs! They’re as ill-mannered as their brethren starlings!!
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Glad you don’t mind feeding the biker gangs! They’re as ill-mannered as their brethren starlings!!
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I recently parked under a big tree where starlings next in the cavities. They left a souvenir on my windshield. Grackles and starlings, the barbarians of the bird world!
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