Grackle Revisited

Guest · Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:59 pm

The problem has been identified.
Went to our site for our first nest check ever - on approach saw a martin and a Grackle (yes, it was) both perched on the rack. Seemingly indifferent to one another. Both flew off. Nest check shows 3 eggs in one gourd, 1 in another.
Coming back up hill from dock, saw two nests in the house eaves, where the soffitt has not been finished. One grackle flew off nest, one stayed and gave me a baleful glare.
Grackle nests being removed tomorrow morning when I get the ladder over there. Not cool to live 2 miles away from your martins. We hope to be in the house in May, where we can be better stewards of our setup.

Glen Webb Jr · Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:00 pm

Grackles? Grackles would not be a problem for martins. Are you sure it's not starlings? Grackles are much larger (Jay-sized and larger) than a martin and just about the same coloration all over. Starlings are yellow beaked and blackish colored with flecks of white all over.

Personally, I think grackles are awesome.

Guest · Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:34 pm

Glen Webb Jr wrote:Grackles? Grackles would not be a problem for martins. Are you sure it's not starlings? Grackles are much larger (Jay-sized and larger) than a martin and just about the same coloration all over. Starlings are yellow beaked and blackish colored with flecks of white all over.

Personally, I think grackles are awesome.

Wait untill you have a couple thousand roosting near you every night! If they think the mess from PMs in Brazil were bad, visit anywhere around here where there are mature trees!!

Chuck

~Patrick~ · Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:51 pm

Grackles won't nest under the eaves of a house. You're probably seeing starlings. Grackles have slim bodies, long tails and dark beaks. Starlings have chunky bodies, short tails, and yellow beaks.

Patrick

Kyle Gregoire · Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:04 pm

Dear mavou, The easiest identification for grackles is they have Yellow eyes- starlings do not... But you probably need binoculars to see them.

Guest · Sat Apr 22, 2006 7:58 am

Black beaks and legs, no spots, very long tails - only thing I can find in any of the bird books are grackles. These eaves are open, they are nesting in the ledge formed by the trusses and top plate. They will have to be removed anyway because of the soffits going in. I am hoping to find that there are no eggs yet, so I won't feel awful about it.
Pictures if I can get them, will follow.

Jim Ray · Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:08 am

Great-tailed grackles of the south can indeed be a problem for purple martins. While banding, I've seen young martins take their first flight, and upon seeing the aukward flight of the young, have had grackles knock the young martins to the ground. They would then pounce on them and eat them if you let them. Grackles also have learned to eat roadkill (rabbits). They will eat meat! USDA Wildlife Services helped us get rid of a colony of grackles that was nesting right next to the martin colony at the Palo Duro Retirement Village in Canyon. The colony is no more! I wound't want great-tailed grackles nesting anywhere near my martins (personal and professonal experience).

Kyle Gregoire · Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:10 am

Again mavou, The eyes are the positive ID for grackles. It sounds like them from the description you give anyway, but the eyes are the clincher. Grackles have yellow eyes. Not very many other birds do have yellow eyes that are similar to grackles, but there are alot of other black looking birds with black features.

flyin-lowe · Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:10 am

Please post a pic. I had a large number of birds I thought were starlings the other night. Upon close look they had black beaks and were larger then starlings and had a long wider tail. Not sure what it is but they too were trying to nest in the underside of my garage roof.

Glen Webb Jr · Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:31 am

I didn't mean to doubt you mavou. Just trying to make sure on the I.D. Where I live the common grackle nests on and in building structures as well as trees. But around my yard, they rarely use trees. I see them use more power lines and outbuildings in my area, but again, just wanted to make sure we were all on the right page as to I.D. of the bird. I will sometimes see a grackle or two sitting with my martins, or they will join the martins on the ground while gathering nest material. Usually, if the grackle is alights on the gourd rack, it is instantly bombed, pushed, and attacked till it leaves. Other times I've seen a grackle (male grackle btw) sitting with a few martins and all of them are preening and doing fine. Really strange.

I obviously have no experience with great-tailed grackles so i cannot comment on that. But from my experience, grackles have never been a problem for me. Ever.

And c_chambersll, as far as having hundreds, thousands, or whatever number of grackles roosting in nearby trees, I do have that situation and I don't mind it. Now granted, I am surrounded by approximately 20 acres of pasture/savannah habitat and the grackles don't roost by my bedroom window. But I think grackles are smart and interesting birds to watch. And just as beautiful as a male martin.