Crackles grackels

[Leopard]

We have tons of Grackels at our bird feeder tree. And I can not get rid of them. I shoot alot of them with my airsoft gun but they come right back.
Leopard

[MaryOfExeter]

Blackbirds, whether they be grackles, cowbirds, or starlings, can be quite a nusance. Many of them scare off the other birds and raid their nests, laying eggs in their place. But there's not a whole lot you can do about them, that I am aware of. Or at least, nothing you can do that can be discussed on this site, since we're for the humane treatment of all animals. No lethal culling of any kind should be mentioned. Regardless if it's killing your birds or wild birds.

[spirit wings]

I love to see flocks of those black birds, they don't stay here long, they just move through. I just put out a bit extra when they are here. Can't control nature so best to leave them alone.

[MaryOfExeter]

For a while we were infested with them, crows, and squirrels. But it seems like there's hardly any squirrels anymore, fewer crows, and we only see the blackbirds when they migrate (okay so it might be due to the fact we don't fill up our feeders much anymore, except during the winter and spring). Which I LOVE. It's so cool to see those big black clouds of blackbirds coming over And they always stop down in the neighbor's old horse pasture, where their pond is. It's right at the base of the woods, and lucky for me, there's a big giant section of the fence missing so we can go over there if we need to. I try to sneak up on the birds...or sometimes I don't even know they're hiding in the grass. Then I take a step, and FWOOOSH. Hundreds of blackbirds explode from the grass and land in the trees. It's pretty neat

[spirit wings]

That sounds nice Becky, reminds me of a time when I was about 14 I had a horse, and we stopped at a huge field and it had hundreds of those birds in it, I kicked my horse and we galloped out in the field and all those hundreds and hundreds of black birds flew up all around us...it was a moment in time I will never forget.

[TrevorsCoop]

We have them almost yearly I love to see them flock together. But they are hogs. I really dont know what you can do about them. Do they stay there yearly?? Or just migrating??

[wolfwood]

Why do you want to "do anything" about them? These BIRDS are part of the natural cycle of things, too, and the other birds know perfectly well how to deal with their presence. Leave nature alone and just enjoy the assortment of feathered friends as they come and go.

[Pigeon lower]

We have 3 big tree's they like to stay in over night so somtimes i have to go out there and throw a ball in the tree to scare them away because they poo in our lawn and stop my sister from sleeping because they are chatting away in the tree's. They can get annoying and aggresive, my neighbour has a hedge with a nest of them and the parent was swooping down at there dog. The dog didnt even know what was going on.

[Leopard]

It costs alot of money to feed them and they stay year around.
Leopard

[MaryOfExeter]

Well I guess you'll just have to deal with them then. Fill up the feeders the best you can. I know with the way the economy is, it's hard to buy food for both our birds and the wildbirds. But you do what you can.

[TrevorsCoop]

Truly, your only best bet is to stop feeding the wild birds. They will find some place else to go to get food. I know alot of people like to watch the cool looking song birds and stuff but there is really know way to drive only one kind of bird away without making them all go away.

[MaryOfExeter]

Trevor has a good point, but I wouldn't let the other's suffer just because some blackbirds bother me. If they are that big of a problem, yes, just quit altogether for a while. The other birds may find somewhere else to eat, but if they're accustomed to your bird tree, they won't like having to move!
If you're willing to get used to having the blackbirds around, then keep the bird seed.
You could also try getting thistle seed feeders. Those will attract a lot of finches, but the blackbirds will probably prefer the regular bird feeders.

[TrevorsCoop]

You could also try getting thistle seed feeders. Those will attract a lot of finches, but the blackbirds will probably prefer the regular bird feeders.

Thats a good idea too. It's a better alternative all together

[altgirl35]

i agree and it is also against federal law to harm them, they are protected just like all native birds in the usa. they are part of our natural world, if you don't like them don't feed them but please don't shoot them and if you stop to take a look at them they are amazingly beautiful, and intelligent birds, infact i just released 3 of young ones this week, they are always guaranteed to come back for a visit till they find thier way in the world, i enjoy seeing the variety of wildlife that visits my yard, especially when they are ones i raised.

Originally Posted by MaryOfExeter

Blackbirds, whether they be grackles, cowbirds, or starlings, can be quite a nusance. Many of them scare off the other birds and raid their nests, laying eggs in their place. But there's not a whole lot you can do about them, that I am aware of. Or at least, nothing you can do that can be discussed on this site, since we're for the humane treatment of all animals. No lethal culling of any kind should be mentioned. Regardless if it's killing your birds or wild birds.

[lindylou]

I think that if a person has began to feed wild birds of any type they should really think about it before they start to do it. Are you willing to contine to do it, because they will come to depend upon you for their food supply. If you have fed them for a long time and then cut off the feeding you must remember that, especially if they have had young who have been introduced to your feeding area by their parents, i.e. are now a second generation descendent, they will only have come to know the food type you have put out, and they may starve to death as a consequence of being cut off by you from their food source, also, they may have fledglings in their nests, and if the parents can't find food, well, it would mean a death sentence for the babies.

There was a quote posted on Pigeon-Talk I read a while back that went something like this: "There is one true lesson in life, and you must learn it well: What you tame in nature, you must take responsibility for, ALWAYS......