Gang of greedy grackles are destroying my bird feeders

[GeorgiaGirl]

A few weeks ago, I hung 5 bird feeders throughout our property and began "stocking" the bird bath, and was delighted with the beautiful little bird-creatures that flitted through to snack there.

Then, two days ago, I saw that one bird feeder station (with two feeders plus suet hanging) was overrun with what I thought was a couple dozen small crows, but now I think they were grackles.

They were loud and squawky and knocked the feeders and the suet off their stands to the ground. One feeder was smashed, and the other had pecked-out areas where the openings were. Both feeders had bird poo ALLLLL over them. They demolished about 2 weeks' worth of birdseed in one feeding frenzy and left everything in a shambles.

I've read that you can use only safflower seeds because grackles don't like those... needless to say I'm a little hesitant to try again just yet, not wanting to attract that gang of marauders any time soon.

Any other ideas for how to feed the well-behaved birds but not attract bands of roving grackles?? Thanks in advance!

[rainbowgardener]

Safflower seed is supposed to be something they don't like. Also look for the kind of squirrel proof tube feeder that has the tube inside a little cage. The small birds can get through the cage to eat, but grackles and squirrels can't. Duncraft.com has a bunch of these. Or feed thistle seed (nyjer), especially in upside down feeder. We were feeding thistle in regular tube feeders. Grackles won't eat it, but we had lots of house finches driving out other birds. Upside down tube feeder has the perch over the hole instead of the other way around, so the birds have to hang upside down to feed. Mainly only gold finches and chickadees are able to do this. Also be a little careful not to overdo ... putting out a huge feast tends to attract more flocks of birds. Putting out smaller quantities will more like just draw the birds that would be there naturally.

[cynthia_h]

A couple of months ago, I read How to Outwit Squirrels... re. bird feeders. However, the author also mentions ways of tailoring bird feeders toward or away from different species of birds.

I was only interested in keeping squirrels away, so didn't keep the pro-bird info in my brain. (Too many outdoor cats in my neighborhood for me to feel ethical about feeding birds, anyway.... ) But he may hold the key to turning away grackles and inviting more friendly varieties of bird.

Good luck!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[applestar]

You can make your own "cage" around existing birdfeeders too. I use 2"x1" wire fencing. Openings are big enough for cardinals but too small for grackles. They cling and squawk and fuss, but in the end they give up. Unfortunately, the cages also exclude Bluejays, but they are better at clinging, plus they would reach in between the wires, tuck their throat pouches full, then fly off to a tree to enjoy their meal. Red bellied woodpeckers also manage to cling and reach in. Suet -- I had to get the holders that are enclosed in a small cage -- the squirrels and other night time raiders kept eating it all. Also keeps out the grackles though they do cling to the top and try to reach in with their long beaks. This winter, I'm planning to get/make a squirrel dome and hang the suet feeder underneath.

My next door neighbor used to put out her kids' leftover cereal and stale bread out for the birds. The grackles used to descend enmasse, bring the hard cereal and crusty bread to dunk in my birdbath to soften, and feed their raucous fledglings that were following the harassed-looking parents around. After their visit, the birdbath was a disaster.

[GeorgiaGirl]

GREAT suggestions, everyone! Thank you! I do have one squirrel-proof feeder that I noticed the grackles didn't bother (I do have a couple of creative squirrels who have figured out how to dine from it -- but I don't mind; I love our squirrels ) so maybe I'll just buy more of those.

I guess I'll just fill the 1/4 full at a time from now on. I didn't even think of it as being as issue since the feeders just have small openings, but I'll do whatever it takes to take these greedy grackles away!

Applestar, I'm laughing at the visual you painted, but wow, so sorry the grackles kept vandalizing your birdbath. I am such a wildlife-lover and love even "pest" animals, and never dreamed there would be a bird I'd dislike. But it made my blood boil seeing those loud squawky things smashing my new feeders, crawling all over the stand (which they also knocked down once), devouring weeks' worth of birdseed, and leaving everything in a shambles.

[jal_ut]

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/birdfeeder_0.jpg[/img]

This hopper feeder has a grackle excluder on the front of it. Small birds the size of finches have no problems with it, but the grackles cannot enter it. It also keeps most Red-winged blackbirds out, but now and then one will discover it can worm its way in. The bars are spaced 1.5 inches.

[GeorgiaGirl]

Thank you for your input, jal_ut... what pretty birds in your photo! Where did you get the grackle excluder?

With this thread bumped, I am happy to report, a month and a half later, that between 1) feeding safflower seeds only for a few weeks, and 2) using squirrel-proof feeders (with wire cages that prevent larger animals from getting to the seed), I haven't had a grackle problem... just zillions of gorgeous red-headed woodpeckers and songbirds of many varieties! Thanks again to all who helped.

[rainbowgardener]

Great work, Julia!

[jal_ut]

Where did you get the grackle excluder?

I guess I could get back around to this and answer the question............

This feeder is home built and the grackle excluder too. I used welding rod wire for the vertical bars and 1 inch by 1/8 inch steel straps to weld the verticals to. The bars are spaced 1.5 inches.You could do something similar using any good stiff wire and wood supports with holes drilled to accept the wires.

Birds the size of House Finches have no trouble going in this feeder, but larger birds like blackbirds, grackles and Eurasian Doves don't get in.

I have it mounted on a 6 foot tall piece of 1 1/4 electrical conduit. I haven't had any critters scale the pole, but we don't have pesky squirrels.

A 1 1/2 inch post would have been better, but I had this one on hand. So far the wind hasn't blown it down.

[waterfeathers]

I can't keep any kind of feeder short of one armour plated (know of any?). Grackles aren't common here at all but I can imagine that a yard full of them especially staying till all food is gone and feeders damaged would be bad..........however, I don't think they could be anywhere near as bad as racoons. At first my simple feeder would be empty over night. Refilled second night same thing. At first I thought it was squirrels. I put screws in the top of the feeder to prevent "squirrels" from using their arms to push the top up allowing them to open the front wide open therby spilling all the feed out on the ground. This was only slightly succesful with the feeder still going empty in a few days with the feed going on the ground. Then I put 1/4" mesh inside at the bottom opening to prevent greedy paws/arms etc. This worked untill the cheap rope was chewed that night with the whole feeder crashing down. I then put on a steel cable and that seemed to work until I caught the racoons red handed chewing at the feeder to get to the seed and suet (which I had also armoured with fine mesh). Last week the feeder was on the ground with all the seed gone and most of the suet gone. It seems they had lifted the loop of cable up over the small upright limb (1"thick x 3" high) I had it hung on!!!! I'm out of ideas short of an expensive feeder that has metal perches that drop down with the weight of a squirrel or whatever. Right now I'de trade you a racoon or 2 for your all your grackles.

[rainbowgardener]

We have raccoons, but they don't bother our bird feeders. I guess there's enough other stuff for them. They empty whatever dry cat food the outdoor cats have left in their bowl.

If the raccoons were bothering our birdfeeders, I would just put a little bit of birdseed in each AM, what the birds will eat that day and leave the feeders empty at night. Either that or bring the birdfeeders in for the night. I understand, it's kind of a pain, but better than what's happening now.

They are wily, greedy creatures. Because of them (and the groundhogs, squirrels, etc) the raised bed with the tomatoes in it is all wrapped in deer netting, which is pulled together over the top and fastened with twist - ties. One time last year, the raccoon(s?) managed to climb the netting, UNTIE the twist ties and get in. They ate or messed up every single tomato AND broke a bunch of branches off.

[GeorgiaGirl]

Just an update from a couple of years later. I had had initial success with safflower seeds, but the squirrels still took over and wreaked almost as much havoc as those nasty grackles.

Even worse, a big fat rat discovered the large bag of birdseed and feasted away. (Thankfully, one of my giant Standard Poodles hunted him down and put him out of his misery.)

I haven't stocked our bird feeders since. Yet, we still have plenty of beautiful songbirds! They are industrious and find food for themselves amongst all the natural-growing plants on our property. The greedy, squawky population has moved out. Our yard is a peaceful, song-filled, pleasant haven once again.

Moral of the story: Don't use birdfeeders! They attract entirely the wrong crowd!!

[rainbowgardener]

We still use our bird feeders - the upside down thistle feeder, the squirrel proof one for black oil sunflower seeds and in winter a caged suet feeder. By not putting out corn or other things that the creatures go nuts for, not over doing the amounts, filling them early in the day and having lots of natural food sources, we have lots of birds but little problems with pests, either feathered or four-legged. The raccoons do clean up all the sunflower seed spilled on the ground, but they don't bother the feeders.

Works for us and we still enjoy our birdfeeders.

[GeorgiaGirl]

That's good, Rainbow! Maybe we'll try again one of these days (would probably try an upside-down thistle feeder). Right now, though, we're enjoying our colorful little feathered friends without them. Thankfully, all the things I planted a few years ago to feed them naturally, seem to be doing the job quite well.

[applestar]

I haven't been able to stock my bird feeder regularly since spring due to health issues, but as you experienced, the birds keep coming around and finding their own food.

The house wrens also alert me to unwelcome neighborhood cats that wander into the garden. I just yell at them out the window and the cats scamper away. The wrens caroling their victory afterwards. I guess they are my watchbirds.