Because I’ve kept track of their spring arrival March 5 is Grackle Day at my house. It’s the day that the first common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) usually arrive in my neighborhood in the spring.
I hear them before I see them: “Skrinnnnk, Krinnnnk” “Djuk Djuk.” Listen to this audio clip and you’ll know what I mean.
The video below shows the males puffing up and calling to display their dominance. The grackle whose beak points the highest is the one who wins. 😉
This year a few ambitious grackles passed through early. I heard and saw a single common grackle on February 5 and two on March 1. I’m waiting for more today.
Are there grackles in your neighborhood yet?
(photo by Shawn Collins, audio link from Xeno Canto, video by The Critter Window on YouTube)
Kate,
Like you I like to keep track of the first red wing black birds and this year was March 1st. I know now spring is close at hand.
Haven’t seen a grackle yet but the European starlings are back at the feeder pole this morning, and I’m sure the grackles are here somewhere or can’t be far behind. I see it as my cue to switch over to more restrictive feeders! Nothing against grackles or even the starlings really, but they eat a lot and crowd out and/or intimidate the smaller birds at the backyard feeders.
Saw one at my feeder last Monday.
Here in Brookline, I spotted a grackle, a robin, and a chipmunk in my yard on February 29. Combined with the warm weather, it felt like spring had already started!
Had a loner on Feb 27th, and a few of them in the trees today. Spring has sprung!
It is funny to see this in my facebook feed this morning. I look out my window for a few minutes every morning and count the birds. Today I saw my first Grackle in our yard and came down an told my husband. I didn’t know it really was Grackle Day!
They’ve been in my backyard here in central Maryland since mid to late February. Many of them – 50 more or less. Every year I can count on them to show up. They love the peanut pieces and then they get the rest of the seed. Along with them are the Starlings, Red Wing Blackbirds and the Cowbirds.
I’ve always been fascinated by the Grackles beautiful eyes which seem to work very well because they always scatter at the slightest move I make from inside the house. They also appreciate the various bird baths I have set out. The Grackles love to dip the peanut pieces in the water before they eat them.