Yesterday, a flock of Common Grackle swarmed down on our feeders. Apparently, word got out on the bird-network. I think they use Twitter. Anyway, one of those birds must have posted a selfie of themselves, probably a Blue Jay, eating at our place. And just like that, party time with the Common Grackles.
All of this, since we were on the topic of birds. And we get all sorts here.
Those Grackle Guys are not invasive, however. They get lumped into the “blackbird” category, which always cracks me up when I hear it. They are there right along with Cowbirds, and actual Blackbirds, like the Red-Winged, none of which are invasive.
Giving the bad news to a bird, as to whether or not they are an invasive species, can be a delicate topic. A tricky thing. An invasive species is typically defined as “one that is not native to the area and is threatening to the local ecosystem, local economy or human health.” (thespruce.com). But here is the deal. Not all non-native birds are naturally invasive. Some of them settle in just fine here and there, and they find little places in our different ecosystems without harmful effects. When a species has a drastic impact in a new area, however, it is considered invasive. Some of the most familiar bird species which are considered invasive include:
European starling
House sparrow
Mallard
Cattle egret
Mute swan
Rock pigeon
Common myna
Canada goose
I had a hard time finding an “official list” for Ohio. In fact, I failed in my search. So, I’m saying that until proven guilty, the list above is completely innocent without supporting evidence. I found more on fish, like the Grass Carp, the Round Goby, and the White Perch, all breaking the rules here. Not to mention Wild Boars and Gypsy Moths. My Dad always told me to be careful of Gypsies. It always perplexed me, as we didn’t have too many Gypsies hanging out on Bruce Avenue back in the day. Maybe he meant the moths.
But back to the birds. Most of them don’t seem invasive to me. They just seem hungry. And who are we to pick and choose when we have offered to feed the hungry. When we feed the birds, it seems to be an open invitation, whether we like it or not.
And those Grackles. I’m not sure what makes the Common Grackle, common. They are big corn eaters, there at our deer feeders. They’ll eat little animals too, little rodents, little fish. Heck, they will even pick the leeches off the legs of turtles. Now, this surprised me. Not the part about the Grackles, but the gross part about turtles with leeches on their little leggings. What a terrible predicament for the turtle.
I mentioned too, the party line on Twitter for these guys. It has to be true. In winter, Common Grackles forage and roost in large communities. Those flocks. They will even hang out with several different species of the blackbird. Sometimes these flocks can number in the millions of individuals.
Now that? That seems a bit invasive.
They stick around for some time too. Most birds their size live 12 to 14 years. But, the oldest recorded Common Grackle was a male, and at least 23 years old when he was killed by a raptor in Minnesota. Not a rapper from Minnesota, like some Gangsta Grackle. No. A raptor, like a hawk, or a falcon.
Nonetheless. To invade means to enter, especially in large numbers. To spread into. To encroach or intrude.
I looked out the window and saw the Common Grackles descending on this place. I figured they would be here a short while, but not stay forever. They would eat some corn, and then leave this place, eventually. And our normal bird life would be back again.
That seems to be the situation everywhere right now. With this virus which has invaded our planet, our lives. It came out of nowhere and spreads extensively, exhaustively.
Eventually, it will go away.
But the less we feed it, the quicker it will leave.
Remember to keep your corn well-hidden today.
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“Time is the longest distance between two places.”
― Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie
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“Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
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“But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”
― Martin Luther King, Jr.
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