When Common grackles appear they are often in huge numbers - I've seen
several hundred appear at one time! They can be a noisy nuisance in a small
garden, also quite ominous, like a scene from the classic 1964 horror/suspense
movie, "The Birds" directed by Sir Alfred Hitchcock.
A large black bird, 11-13", it sports an iridescent blue black head,
purple brown body, long black tail, long thin bill, and very bright golden eyes.
Usually flying with other black birds in large flocks, it's known to feed in
farmers' fields, dining on fruits, seeds and insects.
When a flock comes to the garden, thankfully not often, we shoo them
away and they fly up into the trees making their loud raspy calls.
This wet weekend, a single grackle arrived in the fig tree, looking lonely
and apparently feeling hungry, it hopped onto the feeder and nibbled away
for several minutes.
Probably a first for me, actually getting a photo of a grackle this close
up, and through the window, so that the beautiful coloring is visible.
~ Common grackle : Quiscalis quiscula ~
A very colorful black bird, which isn't really black but a mix of beautiful colors.
Nature is very adept with her paintbrushes!
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