The Grackle

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:30 pm

The Grackle

The grackle's voice is less than mellow.
His heart is black, his eye is yellow;
He bullies more attractive birds
With hoodlum deeds and vulgar words.
And should a human interfere
Attacks that human from the rear.
I cannot help but deem the grackle
An ornithological debacle.
Ogden Nash

djm · Post by **djm** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:36 pm

The poem leaves out the neat way that the base of the grackle's tail is so tiny and reaches out elegantly into such a long, refined tail. Ogden Nash has a lot to answer for.

djm

mamakash · Post by **mamakash** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:47 pm

Grackles are nasty, thin beaked, selfish thieves that knock out the safflower seeds to get at the sunflower kernels in my feeder. It's not worth filling the feeder in the spring. They chase away the nice birds. Why can't they pick on the squirrels?

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:25 pm

We have an awful lot of starlings and house sparrows around here. Any bird that isn't one of those---not that I hate them or anything---is sort of a treat to see. Grackles fall in that category.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:02 am

Far be it from me to pass judgement on the bird. I was just amused by how he was able to find a rhyme for 'grackle'. All I could come up with was 'spackle'.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:06 am

crookedtune wrote:Far be it from me to pass judgement on the bird. I was just amused by how he was able to find a rhyme for 'grackle'. All I could come up with was 'spackle'.

Better than mine: "defensive tackle"... must be superbowl season.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:42 pm

I love Grackles, and crows for that matter. I think what people don't like about these birds is how human they are in their behaviors...they're smart, they make and use tools (especially crows), they're social and work as a group, and they defend their territories.

Eric

Coffee · Post by **Coffee** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:20 pm

I prefer ravens and rooks myself. Ravens because they're an emblem of my family, and rooks because they can be so decisive in the middle-game; great for guarding other pices or pinning opponent pieces.

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:22 pm

Ravens and crows are my favorite birds. They're very intelligent, and a lot of fun to watch.

Coffee · Post by **Coffee** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:49 pm

I'd have thought ducks were your favourite bird...

missy · Post by **missy** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:52 pm

I don't mind crows, but grackles are just plan nasty, mean, and mess up the bird feeder (as stated above, they'll throw all the other seed out trying to get to the sunflower). Plus, we don't just have one or two - they come by the dozen.

They are kinda pretty when the sun hits them just right, but I still don't like them.

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:55 pm

Cofaidh wrote:I'd have thought ducks were your favourite bird...

I may be daffy, but I admire intelligence.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:56 pm

Cofaidh wrote:I'd have thought ducks were your favourite bird...

that's a fowl accusation

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:59 pm

Denny wrote:
Cofaidh wrote:I'd have thought ducks were your favourite bird...
that's a fowl accusation

Don't worry about it, Denny. Water off a duck's back.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:22 pm

I didn't know there was a movie.
CLICK---><img src="http://www.gracklefilm.com/pics/DVD%20Case%20-%20Front%20big.jpg"width=300><img src="http://www.gracklefilm.com/pics/DVD%20C ... "width=300>