Common Grackles on feeders
Frank Mantlik mentioned that 200 Grackles descended on his feeders during the storm. At our house near Hartford , bears have not been much of an issue, because our feeders are up on a pole. However the grackles have kept other birds away from the seed and do that for months at a time. thus, we sometimes have to take the feeders down and wait a few days till they go elsewhere, but they come back within a day or so. I think this might be a larger problem about putting out seeds for seed eating birds. Might we actually be causing an imbalance of birds like Common Grackles versus smaller birds that can’t access the feeders. I don’t know if anybody’s ever studied that, but it seems that that problem is getting worse.
Susanne Shrader
Hartford area
What's in your feeder? We get Grackles and Starlings from time to time but
they descend, hog the feeder for a couple of minutes, depart and never
return.
Paul Plotnick
Stamford
On Thu, Mar 16, 2023 at 6:20 AM Susanne Shrader via CTBirds <
ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
Frank Mantlik mentioned that 200 Grackles descended on his feeders during
the storm. At our house near Hartford , bears have not been much of an
issue, because our feeders are up on a pole. However the grackles have kept
other birds away from the seed and do that for months at a time. thus, we
sometimes have to take the feeders down and wait a few days till they go
elsewhere, but they come back within a day or so. I think this might be a
larger problem about putting out seeds for seed eating birds. Might we
actually be causing an imbalance of birds like Common Grackles versus
smaller birds that can’t access the feeders. I don’t know if anybody’s ever
studied that, but it seems that that problem is getting worse.
Susanne Shrader
Hartford area
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One thing you might try is putting out safflower seeds instead of whatever you are using now. It isn't a perfect answer, but Grackles are said to avoid it compared to most alternatives such as sunflower. I have found it isn't quite as popular with the other birds as well, and it sure isn't cheap. But it might be worth a try.
Roy HarveyCheshire, CT
On Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 06:21:31 AM EDT, Susanne Shrader via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
Frank Mantlik mentioned that 200 Grackles descended on his feeders during the storm. At our house near Hartford , bears have not been much of an issue, because our feeders are up on a pole. However the grackles have kept other birds away from the seed and do that for months at a time. thus, we sometimes have to take the feeders down and wait a few days till they go elsewhere, but they come back within a day or so. I think this might be a larger problem about putting out seeds for seed eating birds. Might we actually be causing an imbalance of birds like Common Grackles versus smaller birds that can’t access the feeders. I don’t know if anybody’s ever studied that, but it seems that that problem is getting worse.
Susanne Shrader
Hartford area
CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/
CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/