Yesterday afternoon, at about 3:45 PM, the vanguard arrived on our Littleton farm. Twelve common grackles gathered beneath the feeders, feasting on fallen seed.
Over the next hour, their activity and calls attracted other blackbirds that were passing through the area and a full invasion was underway. Peak numbers reached about 70 grackles, 50 red-winged blackbirds and six black-billed magpies. The noise was deafening as the skittish birds intermittently scattered into nearby trees and then returned to the feeding area; some began to spread into the adjacent fields while others clamored for spots along or within the bird bath. Meanwhile, a few mourning doves, oblivious of the frenzy around them, waddled among the blackbirds, searching for overlooked seed.
Suburban homeowners, farmers and many birders are not terribly fond of blackbirds, whether they be European starlings, common grackles, brown-headed cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds or other less common, regional species. But these noisy and aggressive birds consume uncountable weed seeds, grubs and insect pests in addition to the grain and bird seed that they scavenge. Nevertheless, when they invade our property in large, noisy flocks, it can be difficult to appreciate their role in nature.
Over the next hour, their activity and calls attracted other blackbirds that were passing through the area and a full invasion was underway. Peak numbers reached about 70 grackles, 50 red-winged blackbirds and six black-billed magpies. The noise was deafening as the skittish birds intermittently scattered into nearby trees and then returned to the feeding area; some began to spread into the adjacent fields while others clamored for spots along or within the bird bath. Meanwhile, a few mourning doves, oblivious of the frenzy around them, waddled among the blackbirds, searching for overlooked seed.
Suburban homeowners, farmers and many birders are not terribly fond of blackbirds, whether they be European starlings, common grackles, brown-headed cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds or other less common, regional species. But these noisy and aggressive birds consume uncountable weed seeds, grubs and insect pests in addition to the grain and bird seed that they scavenge. Nevertheless, when they invade our property in large, noisy flocks, it can be difficult to appreciate their role in nature.
