Grackle (Common)

A familiar sight on suburban lawns, the Common Grackle can be recognized by its iridescent purple and bronze plumage and long, keel-shaped tail. Commons have Yellow Eyes as to the Boat-tail which has dark eyes. It's expanding its range into the far West, but is most common in the East.

The Common Grackle commonly engages in allowing ants to crawl on its body and secrete formic acid, possibly to rid the body of parasites. In addition to ants, it has been seen using walnut juice, lemons and limes, marigold blossoms, choke cherries, and mothballs in a similar fashion.

This bird is as familiar as the Starling in Canada and also considered a noisy pest in rural areas.

Photographed in the wild, Etobicoke, ON