The Boat-tailed Grackle: NARRATED

[@jackwood8307]

These birds don’t get the credit they deserve! When the sun glints off their feathers they are iridescent and are beautiful. Thanks for a great video on these under appreciated birds!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My pleasure, Chuck, especially when I hear from someone like you who does appreciate the Boat-tails. The males are beautiful. And the females are pretty in their own way. Did you see the film I posted last winter about Common Grackles? My aim was to convince people that they're actually lovely birds.

[@jackwood8307]

I did Jo! Loved it!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@jackwood8307 👍

[@micahnewman]

I lived in Texas for many years and Great-Tailed Grackles were EVERYWHERE. In very large groups. Every night seemingly all the grackles in town (thousands?) would roost in this one small group of trees and make a tremendous racket. I've never seen any other kind of grackle, but from what I can tell from videos, none of the other kinds hold a candle to the Great-Tailed for noises they can make. The commonly-heard male display sound is really something. People may not realize, but grackles are extremely intelligent (at least the Great-Tailed females). I once watched one pick up a pellet of dog food from a dog dish, find it was too big to swallow, drop it in the dog's water dish, wait a few moments, and then eat it once it got soggy. Think of the kind of reasoning process that kind of novel problem-solving takes!

[@jpalberthoward9]

They get really adventurous with their musical expressions during mating season. They sound like modern jazz. Sometimes I wonder if John Coltrane ever just sat in the park listening to them, or maybe even brought along a sax and jammed with them.

[@affablegiraffable]

Grackles are so cute. I love their terrible noises

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I so agree. And we are so in the minority. 😏

[@renaturezalife1001]

Very beautiful film🐸💚😘 Renato RS 🇧🇷

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you, Renato. When your stars are beautiful, the film is appealing.

[@renaturezalife1001]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I agree👍

[@bertanelson8062]

Thank you!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My pleasure, Berta.

[@axxlh]

Love this channel,hello from Lebanon 🇱🇧

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Hello back, Lebanon! I'm glad to hear you love this channel. There's well over 200 films here, so feel free to binge watch.

[@jpalberthoward9]

This is going on all over town with the great tails we have here in Las Vegas. It happens twice a year, and I've been feeding and observing them for 8 years now, so this go round is number 17 for me. I never get tired of it. It's awesome to watch the kids get their education and learn to be professional grade grackles.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I like hearing from someone who's watched the same thing. I've only had a chance to observe it once, when we visited Cape Hatteras.

[@jpalberthoward9]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have little buddies who are musicians, comedians, and so conscientious about raising their kids. In a lot of ways, they are actually better at some of that stuff than we are. There's one big male that comes around every morning. I call him Zorro. One day last year, he sang a weird little jazzy riff that I was able to use in a tune I was working on. Zorro is now officially a co-writer of that song, because I was able to finish it thanks to his lick. He gets "royalty payments" in the form of fruit and nuts and plenty of clean fresh water every time he shows up. That's my pal.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@jpalberthoward9 that’s an interesting story. I enjoyed hearing about Zorro’s royalty fees.

[@jpalberthoward9]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I'm just hardwired to treat everything honorably. Zorro is a very talented guy, plus he's a whole lot of fun to have around. The last week or so, bringing the family was a treat for me, so I figure the least I can do is to reciprocate. I consider it an honor and a pleasure. Besides, if he's happy he might come out with some more riffs I can use.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@jpalberthoward9 Here's hoping on the new riffs.

[@flashlitestriker4028]

Beautiful!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, I think they are.

[@quote_nature]

Great video Jo. Love the size 20 feet remark as many of the others. Education and wit are a wonderful combination and you've nailed it. I've only seen a female here but did get to see the Boat-tailed in Florida. They seemed to like the malls, not for the shopping of course.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I appreciated hearing that I've nailed the wit and education combo--that is precisely my aim. And I enjoyed your own wit about the Boat-tails liking the malls, not for the shopping of course. My first look at one was from the balcony of our condo on Hatteras. On the parking lot below was a bird I didn't recognize eating scraps of orange. I had to text a picture to my husband, Connie, for an ID. But after that, they intrigued me.

[@LisaSaffell]

Love those crazy birds! I watched them Act like toll booth operators on incoming cars at a refuge in Florida. They would hitch a ride on the cars and stare at the drivers expecting something. Hilarious to watch!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I wish I'd been there. ... With a camera of course!

[@jarmilakacirkova]

Thanks a lot for the interesting video! Greetings from the Czech Republic. Jarmila

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You're welcome, Jarmila. It's nice to hear from someone so far away.

[@flickernose]

I've recently begun feeding peanuts to a local flock of birds near the ocean in Florida, and came online to find out more about what they might be. Thank you so much for your playfully narrated, informative videos! I'm gaining such an appreciation for the Grackle. I had been hoping they were crows, but not so much anymore. :)

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Crows are wonderful too, but Grackles have so much character. I get a kick out of watching them point their beaks in the air.

[@CherylMotherofSeven]

I happened upon a huge family of Boat Tailed Grackles today at the pier in Tybee Island Georgia! OOh what a treat it was. They had their young and a bunch of males calling and showing off. I'm going to go back and film them! Oh what a shear delight these birds bring, and so colorful, not only in plumage but truly in personality!!! They made the atmosphere RING with JOY!!! March 2020

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Reading your happy comment was a good way to start my day, Cheryl. I can picture it all. Thanks for describing it.

[@pamelakern2849]

These birds are amazing !! I love the way they swing and sway. They are very attractive birds . I knew nothing about these birds so this was a real treat !! 👍👌

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

When I first spotted one eating an orange on the parking lot of our condo at Cape Hatteras, I wondered what on earth that bird was! It was a female, so she didn't look like a Grackle to me. I was there with my sisters, and they didn't know, so I sent a picture to my husband--who knew immediately, of course. I thoroughly enjoyed filming them (and the Sanderlings and Willets) while I was there.

[@lisavoyce6775]

Thanks Jo! I really enjoyed this. I am in SW Ontario so I have only seen the Common Grackles but hundreds showed up this spring to my property and I love learning anything I can about them. I am the only person around here who feeds birds so I get them all and word spreads every year, lol. They had two to three nestings this year so I have a ton of youngsters as well, I really get a kick out of watching them.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You must have many opportunities to watch them as a flock lift briefly off the ground and settle again, like a creature with one mind. I am so impressed when I see them do that.

[@JimHawkins1]

Very nice.Glad I bumped into your channel.I do wildlife video also.Love the informative aspect you give.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks, Jim. I checked out your channel and subbed. I got a kick out of the baby Coot getting fed (and the mistaken identity). Nice footage of the Virginia Rail--not an easy bird to find. (I have one on that bird as well.) You have a nice selection of music. Do you get royalty free tunes from KZbin Audio? Elsewhere? Could you tell me where the music for those two films came from?

[@JimHawkins1]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Thanks Jo.I use KZbin tracks as well as copyrighted material from my personal music..I cross my fingers as to whether KZbin accepts the tracks.So far I've been lucky and have had only 2 bumps.I removed the music and remain in good standing.😊 I f you make a mistake they're pretty good about letting you fix it without putting a blemish on your account.I have thought about signing up for a music service, but have yet to do so.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My concern isn't being dinged for music that isn't royalty free; it's finding free royalty-free music that's interesting. Most of it is too bland. Your tunes were catchy.

[@JimHawkins1]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Lots of searching through the KZbin library ☺

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Exactly. 🤷‍♀️

[@shellmora]

I find small paragraphs about this bird. This was short but it's really nice to see some information on these birds. It's nice to finally know something about the birds that are literally EVERYWHERE I look.. I thought they were Crows to be honest..

[@Andy-Andeee]

Never knew the fluffing and shaking of the wings meant "feed me" Makes perfect sense since i do enjoy sharing my lunch sometimes with them and I've seen a solitary one display this behavior with me

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

That's very cool, Andy, that you've seen young birds direct that behavior at yourself. I've been feeding dried mealworms mixed with grape jelly to the birds at the creek in our Woods. Today a male cardinal stopped by with a female immature, but the parent left first. I was astounded when a Bluejay arrived and that immature cardinal ran at him not once but twice and drove him away!

[@sarahisalzmann941]

I don't speak english, but I need help. I found a baby crackle a mounth ago. She or he was very small and I fed it whit cereals and cat food and other complements. Now she is alive, and strong, but whit splayed legs, she wobble and fall and I want to know if she needs more time for walk or there are some bad with its legs. There are not vets experts on bird in my comunity and I want it is fine and walk and fly.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I'm sorry, Sarahi, but I know nothing that would help you. I wish I had good advice, but I am just not qualified to offer any.

[@sarahisalzmann941]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Oh, never mind, thank you very much, I'll keep looking for someone to help me. I want my bird to grow as beautiful as the ones in the video.

[@danny-FL]

​@@sarahisalzmann941Hello, curious what ended up happening with the bird