Starlings and Grackles met their match.

Normally I avoid putting it to grackles, but today after more than 15 along with some starlings raided my feeders and drove off the local cardinals for the 3rd day in a row I decided it was time to take action. Gave them my usual warning shot, and when that didn't work I let the AT44 off its leash and took one. I'll have to re-range the tree it was in to be sure, but it was definitely over the usual 30yds I typically shoot at.

Best thing of it all though was the mourning doves that like to stay in my trees didn't even flinch.
 
Grackles are nasty birds. Right before their fledglings start flying the adults go from nest to nest killing any bird and eat the eggs. I am pretty sure this is to remove predators and so fledglings have less competition for food. It took a few years but grackles avoid my area other than when the fledglings are ready to start flying. Adults make a hideous low pitch sound(grackle) and fly in large groups when on the attack. They swarm like locus.

The one bird their size or smaller that I see can defend themselves is the European starling. Its cool to see them battle. Blue Jays and crows are bigger, they stick together and protect themselves. I will try and get some video footage this year and post it.

On a side note be careful hunting grackle in most states they are migratory birds and protected. Legal to kill if they are doing damage on your property or to crops. The last 5 years I have removed well over 300 that were doing damage to crops or my home. 
 
Grackles are protected here unless they're doing damage, or presenting a health hazard of some kind. On the one permission I have so far the farmer definitely wants them gone if I see them. Anyway here are the two pictures of what I was talking about.

Doves couldn't be more than 15yds from me in this photo. They know they're not on my list of birds to remove.



The tree the starlings and grackles default to is this one, zoomed to 4x on my camera to get the picture, but its 44yds out on its furthest branches.
 
Man it's tough, grackles are protected (and while I hate to admit it, I kinda like them. They're clever, and kinda majestic in a way) so I don't typically shoot them. I used to blast them when they would "mob" my bird feeder at 15 or more at a time. Like an oily blanket covering the ground while others emptied the feeder of seed, dumping all over their compatriots and the ground. That was two years ago. They seem to have since figured out that it is unwise to come in to my feeder more than 4 or so at a time. Now, they're welcome as they bring in the starlings. Seems the starlings think it's safe if the grackles are there eating, and it is safe...for the grackles. Long as they keep bringing me starlings to execute (and don't come in 20 plus at a time), the grackles are ok in my book, a symbiotic relationship at it's best.
 
"Mentolio"Man it's tough, grackles are protected (and while I hate to admit it, I kinda like them. They're clever, and kinda majestic in a way) so I don't typically shoot them. I used to blast them when they would "mob" my bird feeder at 15 or more at a time. Like an oily blanket covering the ground while others emptied the feeder of seed, dumping all over their compatriots and the ground. That was two years ago. They seem to have since figured out that it is unwise to come in to my feeder more than 4 or so at a time. Now, they're welcome as they bring in the starlings. Seems the starlings think it's safe if the grackles are there eating, and it is safe...for the grackles. Long as they keep bringing me starlings to execute (and don't come in 20 plus at a time), the grackles are ok in my book, a symbiotic relationship at it's best.




In about 6 weeks watch hoards of those symbiotic grackles( just like locus) go from nest to nest killing any bird in their path. After killing the birds that stay to protect the nest the grackles eat the fledglings and unhatched eggs.

Listen for low pitch grackling from the female grackles, this means the grackle fledglings are ready to leave the nest, Adult grackles try to clear the area so their young have no competition for food and to remove predators. This gives the grackle young a better chance of survival.