The common grackle

An initial glimpse might lead the casual viewer to mistake a grackle for a crow.  Their silhouette and size are remarkably similar and it takes just the right light to pick up on the bird's purple sheen during the breeding season.  Whereas crows are ubiquitous, the common grackle is found in northern climates only during the summer and is not present west of the Rocky Mountains.  The greatest single morphological difference between the two is the pair of yellow eyes grackles boast.

Grackles are related to blackbirds.  Brewer's blackbird resembles a reduced version of the grackle and shares similarities in eye colour, purple sheen, and central North American range.  However, these blackbirds are common west of the Rockies and are not found in the eastern states or provinces.

Grackles have a greatly varied diet.  They are very fond of grain and are significant pests of corn crops.  They take invertebrates typically found on the ground or just under its surface and are common visitors to lawns and backyard feeders.  They also will kill and eat smaller birds, mice, nestlings, small fish, lizards, and anything else that can be overpowered.  

I found a few interesting facts about common grackles.  They may participate in a mutualistic behaviour called anting.  They situate themselves near an active ant nest and open their feathers so the invading creatures can cull any ectoparasites causing discomfort.  This apparently is not unique to grackles.  To see an interesting video on the practice, click here.

Grackles have a fondness for acorns.  I found an account of the birds opening the encrusted little gems.  They can saw open the shell using a feature of their upper bill to access the contents therein.  If you want to read the post, click here.

Thanks for reading.   www.ericspix.com