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Pictures Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) pics and questions

leafhopper

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Thank you all. It looks like one lady in Indiana (fifteen minutes away) is going to be able to come get her. I have been so disappointed with the lack of viable resources so far that I am almost hesitant to say it until she gets here!

But this bird still cannot make noises, stand on a perches, or fly. She CAN stand on a low perch with one leg. I tossed her onto t he couch again and she just went plop. However I had her out "foraging" in my living room yesterday and she tried to fly but careened into the wall! It looked so unnatural and nearly gave me a heart attack but she seems fine. I'm afraid to let her out now. Lol
It is life - do not take its swings too close to your heart! The time still has been too short for the bird to recover to her full strength. You are doing the best of what can be done!!!!I am not sure the lady from Idiana will help more than you do. Just give it a bit more time if you can. Tissue injuries (muscles and especially bones) take several weeks to heal. As much as you wish her to fly strong - she may not until about March 22. Keeping her at rest, moving as little as possible, sleeping as long as possible will help.
 
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leafhopper

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Thank you. What happens if somebody actually keeps an illegal pest bird? Do people really go to jail? My first worry is for this little bird but I definitely don't want to go to jail for helping it.

I couldn't believe when one of the rehabbers told me how to kill it like that was the most natural thing to do. I literally was silent, in shock.
You will not go to jail. A small fine of maybe $100 would be the most with the least likelihood of its happening. Please rely on me baling you out:)! Please contact: dmitri.novikov@eupelix.com - I will help pay what is needed whenever it comes to it. I will be happy to support your efforts (the opposite of charging $200 like that seemingly unlicensed person). The society is not ideal, while you are much much closer to the ideal, for your sake, the bird's sake, and the rest of us.
 

leafhopper

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My only concern is how it seems tame. Many people illegally make grackles pets. This bird could be an escapee pet.
One in ten million chance - less than a stadium lottery. She seems and is tame because she sees her chance to recover. Grackles are profoundly sensitive and intelligent.
 
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leafhopper

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Initially I thought I would keep her until a rehabber came in 2-3 days and got her, or she died. I did not know the stigma/disfavor/legal status of these birds. She was soaked and bleeding so even if I did know I might have done the same.

But at this point I just want what's best for her, and the VERY best thing is to go to a licensed wildlife rehabber who is familiar with assessing and treating birds and who likes/accepts/rehabs grackles. That's what I'm still aiming for.
Rehab is just an ideal. This has never worked for me though. I have raised and released more than a dozen grackles, nest dropouts all of them. Rehabs - did not work.
 

leafhopper

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Initially I thought I would keep her until a rehabber came in 2-3 days and got her, or she died. I did not know the stigma/disfavor/legal status of these birds. She was soaked and bleeding so even if I did know I might have done the same.

But at this point I just want what's best for her, and the VERY best thing is to go to a licensed wildlife rehabber who is familiar with assessing and treating birds and who likes/accepts/rehabs grackles. That's what I'm still aiming for.

The stigma is that notwithstanding the federal migratory bird act protecting all blackbirds including grackles, the Wildlife Services, USDA keep poisoning them by great numbers. They also prefer to keep quiet about it.. They say blackbirds eat crops. If you count, their both fat and skinny as...es eat more in DC. Just fire them and the birds, who came to this planet well before us will live in the numbers they, not USDA, want and eat what they want, with little, negligible damage to crops. Other people and I keep writing petitions. I will start a legal campaign soon.
 
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Can'twait2016

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Grackles can give so much to people spiritually. You will be -if not already are - rewarded by the bird, I cannot describe how much! If she will not be able to recover her flight completely, but would be able to live in your home, you should be able to get a permit eventually to be able to keep the injured bird legally ("injured" would be the legal definition). The owner of Leroy Grackle from this website had had experience getting the permit. Let us hope for her complete recovery so that you can safely release her.
I had a grackle now for over a month, rescue the little nesting that fell from a tree and was unable to get back to the nest. I fed it cat food and later crickets and meal worms . Named him Elvis because of his funky hair style . I am a teacher and had to take him to school to be able to feed him around the clock. Now it's getting time to release Elvis but he doesn't, fly well yet and he keeps coming back and perching on my shoulder. Any advice?
 
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SandraK

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I suspect you may just have got yourself a fid (feathered kid) whether you meant to or not. If he can't fly well, it would be a death sentence to set him free outside - he wuld be picked off by both natural and domestic predators in your area.
 

leafhopper

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I had a grackle now for over a month, rescue the little nesting that fell from a tree and was unable to get back to the nest. I fed it cat food and later crickets and meal worms . Named him Elvis because of his funky hair style . I am a teacher and had to take him to school to be able to feed him around the clock. Now it's getting time to release Elvis but he doesn't, fly well yet and he keeps coming back and perching on my shoulder. Any advice?
If there are adult grackles from the nesting group still around, there is a good chance they will accept your fledgling to feed and educate him/ her. If the setting allows, that is if it is secure enough, try putting him/ her on a low branch of a tree or shrub and look from a distance (with binoculars preferably). Once you see him/ her fed by a grackle, this will mean a success, and you can leave him/ her in the natural company. I have done just that a dozen times or more. There have been records of grackles from different groups accepting fledglings found and reared by people tens of miles away. So if your local setting does not allow, try a nearby park or a semi-forested area with grackles around. You can have some food handy for your friend to give him once an hour or so, in case it takes half a day or even a whole day to find him the right company. Be sure you are a good distance away for grackles not to be alarmed.
 
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Can'twait2016

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Well I'm sad and happy at the same time; our baby grackle went out yesterday and was called by this other grackle on our tree and he flew to her. This bird had visited Elvis before but he was not interested. Yesterday was different and he flew away with her. We have called him but he is not around. I do hope he is well and taking care of himself. He brought us a lot of joy but he needed to be free , he was not happy in the cage.
 

leafhopper

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Excellent timing! Grackles usually move to other locations, perhaps to the fields further away from cities once their young start flying a bit better. I do exactly as you have just done almost every year - rearing drop-outs and letting them join their group in several weeks. This year, the luck has been better - not much wind so far and no chicks on the ground.. Two years ago, my wife and I had to take care of a late, second brood bird we called Kitchi. The flock was already gone and we had to rear Kitchi till almost the end of the season until he joined other birds already as an adult ready for the late fall migration. You can read about Kitchi on this forum.
 

Can'twait2016

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After eight days we noticed Elvis is back in a shrub in our back yard. He has lost two feathers from his tail making it hard to fly but otherwise he seems fine. I have been feeding him and his friend comes and goes but I don't know if I should leave him there or take him back until his tail grows out again. Please help!
 

Birdbabe

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I think he should decide what he wants to do, but do keep him in feed and water, :hug8:
 
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