This month, our family had more run-ins with grackles than ever before, and each one turned into a little adventure.

The first happened at our neighborhood H-E-B. We were walking through the aisles when I heard the boys squealing and pointing upward. A shiny black bird was flying back and forth under the fluorescent lights, flapping wildly as it tried to find its way out of the store. The poor thing must have slipped in through the automatic doors and gotten lost among the towering shelves. To the kids, though, it was the highlight of the shopping trip. They watched in awe as the bird swooped over the cereal boxes, giggling every time it darted past.

A few days later, we were outside enjoying an afternoon snack on the patio—cheese cubes, crackers, and lemonade—when one of these curious birds decided to join us. It strutted right up under the covered area like it belonged there, feathers shimmering purple and blue in the sunlight. Leon immediately offered a cracker, overjoyed to have such a bold visitor. He chased it around the patio, squealing with delight, until the bird finally took off, tail flashing in the sun.

Moments like these remind me how everyday wildlife can capture kids’ imaginations. But after so many close encounters, I realized I didn’t know nearly enough about grackles. So I decided to dig deeper—and what I found made me appreciate these birds more than before.

What Do Black Grackles Look Like?

At first glance, you might mistake a grackle for just another blackbird, but they’re anything but ordinary. Males, especially, are striking: sleek black bodies that shimmer with metallic blues, purples, and greens when the light hits just right. They have long tails, sharp yellow eyes, and a confident, almost mischievous look.

Females are smaller and more brown than black, with a subtler presence. This camouflage is useful when nesting, helping them blend in while caring for eggs and chicks.

Where Do They Live?

Grackles are everywhere in Texas. They thrive in city parks, parking lots, backyards, and even bustling shopping centers (as we saw firsthand). They’re also comfortable in open woodlands, marshes, and farmland.

Their adaptability makes them one of the most visible birds across the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. If you’ve ever driven past a grocery store parking lot at dusk and seen the trees filled with noisy, restless birds—you were probably witnessing a grackle gathering.

What Do Grackles Eat?

One reason grackles do so well in human spaces is their diet. They’re omnivores and opportunists, willing to eat just about anything. Insects, seeds, grains, and fruit are all fair game, but they won’t hesitate to steal French fries, nibble bread crumbs, or pick through leftovers in a parking lot.

They’re also clever. Some grackles have been observed dunking dry food in water to soften it before eating. Others have been seen working together to forage or even dropping nuts on roads so cars will crack them open.

Mating & Nesting

Breeding season is when grackles really show off. Males fan their tails, puff their feathers, and make loud, sharp calls to impress females. Once a pair forms, the female builds a bulky nest of twigs and grass, usually high in a tree.

She lays 3–5 eggs, incubating them for about two weeks. After hatching, both parents feed the chicks, mostly insects, until they’re ready to fledge at around 20 days old. By the time they leave the nest, the chicks are already on their way to joining the noisy flocks grackles are known for.

Fun & Fascinating Facts About Grackles

Shimmering Feathers: The iridescence comes not from pigment, but from microscopic feather structures that refract sunlight. That’s why they change color depending on the angle.

Chatterboxes: Grackles have an impressive range of calls—whistles, squeaks, croaks, and even sounds that mimic creaking doors. Some can imitate other birds.

Group Mentality: They often forage and roost in huge flocks, which helps them drive off predators and dominate food sources.

City Icons: In Texas, they’re practically a symbol of urban life, especially in parking lots and public spaces. People either love them or find them annoying, but they’re impossible to ignore.

Why They Matter

While some see them as pests, I’ve come to think of grackles as a lesson in resilience. They’ve managed to thrive in environments that many other birds avoid, adjusting their diet, nesting habits, and behaviors to fit into our modern world.

For kids, encounters with them are pure joy. Watching Leon chase that bird around our patio, cracker in hand, reminded me how little it takes to create magic in a child’s day. These bold, curious birds turn ordinary moments into memories.

The Black Grackle may not be a rare or exotic bird, but it has a charm all its own. It’s a survivor, a trickster, and a bit of a show-off. Its shimmering feathers and noisy calls make it hard to ignore, and its ability to thrive alongside humans makes it one of the most familiar sights in Texas.

Next time you spot a grackle strutting through a parking lot or swooping down in your backyard, take a closer look. There’s more to this “ordinary” bird than meets the eye—and you might just find yourself as captivated as my kids were.