This is Illinois Extension’s Voice of the Wild. A new wild voice in just a moment, so find someplace quiet, take a deep breath, and enjoy.
This blackbird is not the favorite of many; its song is not musical, it can mob suet feeders and drive away other birds, its often slandered as a trash bird, but while it can be a pest, especially in a sprouting cornfield, elsewhere, they pose no special threat. And with close examination, I think they show a fascinating array of traits. They are adaptable birds, as comfortable strutting through your lawn as they are wading through a shallow forest puddle. They have unique plumage, a shining blueish black with strong iridescence. And a unique form - with a robust curved beak, yellow eyes, and a handsome long tail.
This is the Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) from the blackbird family Icteridae.
The common grackle will stay through the midwest winter in very modest numbers, but towards February and March, hearing big flocks issuing mixed “chucks” and creaking noises means the bulk of the birds are on their way back from further south. They are early spring migrants and a great sign that spring is on its way. Here’s the common grackle again.
Thank you to the Macaulay library at the Cornell lab for our bird sounds. And thank you for tuning in to learn a new wild voice with Illinois Extension.