Common Grackle

Dozens of Common Grackles on the snow-covered ground below a bird feeder as the snow continues to fall.
Common Grackle, Kentucky House, Murray, KY, February 16, 2015
 Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EFS 18-135 mm lens; 135 mm; ISO-100; f/7.1; 1/320 sec.

This page is for the Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula). These birds would come in and drive off all the other birds at our feeder in the winter. I would have to stop filling the feeder until they moved on. Once gone, I would refill the feeder for the other birds. The grackles would eventually return. My first photographic evidence of the Common Grackle was on February 16, 2015 at our backyard feeder in Murray, Ky. This photo is also the best photograph I have taken of the Common Grackle to date (above).

The following photograph is the best representative image from a different date and location than my species representative example.

A Common Grackle sitting on a tree branch above the snow-covered ground. several other birds are perched nearby including two Northern Cardinals.
Common Grackle, Kentucky House, Murray, KY, February 21, 2015
Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EFS 18-135 mm lens; 135 mm; ISO-160; f/5.6; 1/200 sec.
Common Grackle perched on a diagonal tree limb.
Common Grackle, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 2, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-200; f/10; 1/400 sec.
Common Grackle perched on a small branch and the bird is calling while looking over its left shoulder.
Common Grackle, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 4, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-100; f/14; 1/160 sec.
Common Grackle calling while perched on a dead tree branch.
Common Grackle, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-100; f/13; 1/200 sec.
Common Grackle perched on a tree branch.
Common Grackle, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 24, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-250; f/10; 1/500 sec.
Common Grackle perched on a small dead tree branch calling.
Common Grackle, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 30, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-250; f/11; 1/800 sec.
Common Grackle walking along the ground.
Common Grackle, Black Mesa State Park, Kenton, Ok, October 21, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-100; f/18; 1/50 sec.
Common Grackle with its head pointed up swallowing water.
Common Grackle, Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Chicago, IL April 12, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1000; f/11; 1/800 sec.
Common Grackle walking in the grass near a water puddle.
Common Grackle, Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Chicago, IL April 12, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-800; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Common Grackle perched on the top of a wooden post.
Common Grackle, Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Chicago, IL April 12, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-640; f/11; 1/800 sec.
Common Grackle perched on the top of a metal pole.
Common Grackle, Orlando, FL December 3, 2023
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700mm; ISO-12,800; f/11; 1/800 sec.