Well I reduced the house and car gnawing critter population and now these boogers swept in and removed my seed in minutes. Please don't tell me the only way to keep them away is a healthy squirrel population, Hahaha!
What the heck are these? ;)
- Thread starter plinker
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I think there cow birds but maybe grackles. And yes squirrels actually do get rid of these... No I'm just kidding 
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Can't really tell, but if you're in the US first guess is European Starlings, second is Cow birds, third is both. If they are starlings, they are targets but if they are Cow birds or Grackles then they are protected as this isn't occurring in an agriculture lot.
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I don't think those are starlings, their tails are too long and pronounced.
My guess is cowbirds as well.
My guess is cowbirds as well.
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May have to get my 18x optical zoom camera and id them or shoot just one and id. They are enjoying the seed that's for sure, but I did put it out for birds, so no harm. : ) They are a lot more skittish than song birds and woodpeckers. I'll let you know if they taste like chicken. Hahahaha!
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Those are cowbirds. I get them like that at my feeder. I keep looking hoping to see starlings but they stay clear of my yard now for some reason.
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Definitely cow birds they rank with starlings because they lay eggs in songbirds nest and the song bird raises them instead of their own
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Thanks for the heads up! Cow birds seems to be the majority. They are enjoying a meal and the other birds don't seem to mind so all is good.
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Tough to tell from the pics but they could also be Brewer's blackbirds-male is iridescent black with yellow eye, female brownish.
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Well I'm not familar with cowbirds so had to look them up and very interesting species that they are kind "parasitic nesters". They don't make there own nest but lay eggs in other birds nest.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/id
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/id
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I agree with everyone else here, they look like cowbirds. I don't know where you live but here is a link to a blurb I found. Basically, if they are being a pest its hammer down. If not, then let them be...
http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/rehab/protected/
I'm sure you could make a case for them being pests...
http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/rehab/protected/
I'm sure you could make a case for them being pests...
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I'm in Georgia. They aren't bothering me. And I live in a hunting Mecca so there's plenty of shootable game. My first thought was STARLINGS!! 
But probably not. They just came in like a cloud and I was surprised they found my yard. It's very wooded so I don't usually have flocks, just songbirds etc. They do some serious eating though. Haha
But probably not. They just came in like a cloud and I was surprised they found my yard. It's very wooded so I don't usually have flocks, just songbirds etc. They do some serious eating though. HahaUpvote 0
I put some seed out closer and got some pictures. They are a little fuzzy because I took them through the screen. The body is iridescent and the neck and head browner.
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