It’s a Jungle Out There!
I really enjoy seeing my backyard bustling with birds, all of them looking for food of course! For them become a practical way to select an urban place where to find their food and sate their hunger with no extra effort instead of having to go around trying to secure some kind of nourishment, all these imply great effort and waste of precious energy.
I understand that in a way I’m making their lives more comfortable for improvement of their survival rate by supplying food for them.
In the past few days I’ve had a greater number of Common Grackles getting their stomachs filled up in my backyard. These birds, definitely, are not the best mannered bunch if you didn’t know. They create havoc when they come in groups. Being larger in size than most birds that I’m used to feed daily, they push their way to take possession of all feeders with not a bit of shame! And, if they can not dispense themselves from the normal feeders (not designed for large birds) then they smartly proceed to knock them down, plain and simple.
What can you do? Not much, just let them be. At the very end, all birds get what they came looking for, one way or another.
It’s a jungle out there!
“I love them regardless…just the way they are!”
Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101
H.J. Ruiz - Avian101 
That is an interesting bird, I had to look it up as I’ve never seen one. Nice post 🙂
Thank you very much! 🙂
Very nice group of images!
Thanks a lot Beth! 🙂
Another great post! Thank you! xx Amy
Thank you very much dear Amy! 🙂
Enjoy your jungle!
Thank you Susan! 🙂
Ha, I know…we have a few pigeon-sized birds (maybe they are pigeons) that sit on the feeder and much until it’s empty. I don’t know how they’re able to lift off again!
Yes, I know what you mean Elisa! Thanks! 🙂
Yes – the grackles have taken over my feeders as well. I don’t think I am as gracious of a host to them as you are!
I take birds the same way as I take it with children. Children are children! you take the good as well as the bad behavior equally. Thank you for sharing Kathy! 🙂
Haha, I think Kathy and I are related! I’m not always as gracious a host to the grackles as you are, H.J. There’s usually a lot of knuckle-knocking on the window when the grackles come calling. 😀 But I’ve noticed that their numbers are decreasing now – perhaps because their offspring have fledged? Anyway, I know you are right – you have to take the beasts with the beauty in the bird kingdom. 🙂 And I do see the beauty in the grackles – sometimes. LOL
I understand you perfectly Amy as much as I understand Kathy. But in my case I do bird photography and try to learn more about them, thus I see them as they are and I think I should be neutral. Thank you for sharing Amy, it makes the comment box more interesting and exciting! 🙂
These are exceptional photographs…really perfectly captured
Thanks James! 🙂
Our jackdaws are much the same.
I think so too! Thanks Tom! 🙂
I love your photos, they are perfect!
Barbara you’re so kind, thank you! 🙂
Even the rough, rowdy birds are beautiful in their way. The grackle has such a shiny blue head.
Thank you Clare! 🙂
They really are beautiful.
Thank you very much Teagan! 🙂
Great shots, HJ. We have Common Grackles that breed in Millennium Park now and they go looking for food scraps in the city. I think they’re pretty omnivorous so they’re doing well. I do know they have the perfect beak to crack open whole peanuts. 🙂
Thank you Lisa, lately I’ve seen many C. Grackles, while smaller birds are visiting my feeders in less numbers. 🙂
Great photos, HJ. That yellow eye is very piercing. 🙂
Thanks Jet! 🙂
Brilliant pictures!
Thanks a lot Sophie! 🙂
Hello H.J. You sure have some interesting flying friends near you home! It made me think of the satin bowerbird for the colours are very simular. Interesting topic on how the big groups take over…it’s like human behavour. You could allmost turn it around and say that the real jungle is were the humans live,( if you know what I mean) Great post!
Cheers
Thank you Belinda, I always like to make analogies between humans and birds in almost every aspect. There’re many similarities believe it or not.I’m glad that you liked my post! 🙂
Lovely photographs. Grackles can be mean to the smaller bird. A few years ago, they attacked a sparrow. I ran outside and chased them away. The sparrow was badly hurt so I took her to the vet and got her stitched up. I put her in a cage for a few hours and when she started hopping around I released her. The stitches would dissolve on their own. They where trying to kill her. For some reason they stopped coming around here. The birds can eat in peace now.
There are incidents that happen in the wild. Thank you for sharing! 🙂