In Pittsburgh we have a species of bird that passes through town in the spring, the Common Grackle. My mom and I used to call our visiting Grackles “Hell’s Angels”. They came to our birdfeeders in a gang and scared all of the other birds away. We were not fond of them.
Texas, known for doing things in a big way, has the Great-Tailed Grackle. They are everywhere. The males are glossy black and they strut around and look a little cocky. The females are brown and are less noticeable since they are busy taking care of business and don’t have time for strutting around. Both males and females congregate in the trees and make some amazing sounds. Not sure which sex is more vocal.
