Why You May See Fewer Grackles In Your Yard This Year

It might sound strange to hear that a once-common bird is experiencing a decline, but that is what is happening with the common grackle. This iridescent blackbird species, once numbering around 150 million across much of the U.S. and Canada, has seen a significant downward shift in population since the 1970s. Altogether, the North American grackle population has dropped by more than 58%. 

Common grackles can be identified by their long, tall bodies and long beaks. Being large birds, they are around the size of the crow or American robin and are very noticeable in their large flocks. Grackles are known as great foragers, and if you hate spiders, they are birds you'll want to attract to your yard.

Scientists do not know exactly why the common grackle is disappearing, but they can make some good educated guesses. A major cause is likely the purposeful campaign against grackles by the U.S. agricultural industry and the federal government. These birds have been a nuisance to farmers for a long time, and large flocks can quickly damage corn, sunflowers, rice, and other crops, causing huge losses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture intentionally killed millions of blackbirds in 2009 in a desire to protect crops. Another answer might lie in the insecticides that make their way into the grackle's diet. Eating food grown using neonicotinoid pesticides is linked to other problems with bird populations and biodiversity.

Seeing fewer grackles in the coming years might be a boon to you if you enjoy birdwatching. Common grackles are known for their aggressive behavior toward other people and other birds, especially if they perceive them as a threat to their nests. If you put out bird feeders, grackles might try to steal food from other birds, including robins. They have been known to kill house sparrows, one of the reasons the common grackle isn't a bird you want in your backyard.

You will probably see more smaller songbirds at your bird feeders to coincide with fewer grackles. Birds like robins, house sparrows, goldfinches, and cardinals will not have to fight to get to the seed, which grackles can eat up very quickly. But unless scientists figure out why grackle flocks are getting smaller, it's hard to determine if the population changes will be more drastic than the 3% a year currently recorded. And despite the decline of the common grackle, their flocks still number in the millions in the U.S. You'll have to find other ways to keep unwanted pests out of your bird feeder instead of expecting them to go away completely.