AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA, February 9, 2025 – A long-time Austin, TX, resident once noted that humans and grackles are at war in Central Texas, and that the grackles are winning. Personally, I’m happy to be on the losing side in this conflict, because, in my not-so-humble opinion, Austin’s grackles rank high among the city’s treasures.
Sure, it can be annoying when a few dozen of these large, blackbirds encase your car in guano when you happened to park under the wrong tree. And it can be alarming when one lands on your picnic table and proceeds to snatch french fries from your toddler’s plate. And it’s true that, if you happen to piss one off, he’ll let you know about it every time you venture outside for more-or-less forever.
But I say, live and let live.
It is relatively simple to live in peace side-by-side with these creatures. Give it a try it and you’ll soon come to appreciate just how beautiful and ingenious they are. Personally, I’ll never forget watching two grackles team up to hunt for leftovers in a trash can at Tyson’s Tacos on Airport Boulevard. One bird would perch on a pillar next to the can, ready to sound the alarm if a human approached, while the other did a dumpster dive into the depths of the can. It was a slick operation.
Sadly, I didn’t photograph that performance, but here are some pictures I took earlier this week of these noble birds.
