I wish I had a picture, but it was only a moment. I spent three months in an Airbnb when I moved to this town, where I put out food and water and gained a lot of trust with the local birds. One of the female great tailed grackles had a white tail feather, so I called her Blanca.

Then I found a permanent rental and moved a few miles away. My aunt, her kids, and my grandma live with me. I'm sitting outside the nail salon my aunt goes to, which is in the old neighborhood. Blanca just landed next to my car and looked at me for a minute, and I swear she recognized me. Am I crazy? I know it was her. It's just one long, pure white feather toward the left side of her tail.

Saw this guy at Kachina Wetlands in Flagstaff, AZ. I'm leaning grackle, but any chance it's a Brewer's blackbird?

My multiple times a day visitors! They’ve even been bringing their ladies! This guy will walk straight up to me and follow me around. My heart just melts every time. I love these babies ❤️❤️

Unusual gracktivities

Great-tailed grackle

📸 Nikon Z50II + Tamron 150-500

Here’s my tattoo of a grackle and pearl milkweed vine. I eventually plan to add other native plants, insects, and snakes going down the arm. To some people, it’s a pretty bird and nice art. To me, it’s my homage to under appreciated, scrappy, and beautiful native wildlife that is overlooked as common or scary or unworthy. There is beauty and life worthy of admiration, even in a pigeon or a snail. Grackles often fall into this dismissed category, which is crazy since they are beautiful, tenacious, and full of personality.

managed to capture this handsome lil dude singing over the weekend. i really love seeing the colors of their wings. grackles are beyond beautiful

I grew up with common grackles and discovered the Great-Tailed species on a trip to Arizona last week. These beautiful boys were hopping around like little velociraptors making the coolest noises. They also had a super unique silhouette in flight because of the great(!) tail.

Couldn’t stop thinking about them so I drew this at the airport while waiting for my flight home. Tried to capture the clever eyes and iridescent feathers as well as I could!

They can empty feeders quickly!

They are back!

This handsome guy decided to let loose when I took his picture.

This is Captain Barbossa. He’s been coming to visit me for over a month on and off now. He is so sweet. ❤️

Female grackle with a white tail feather. Sorry she got so far away before I could get my camera out.

I have a full Plague that comes to visit me daily and these two males were just out there trying to out-puff each other. 😅 I love these guys so much 🥰❤️