It may not be that surprising but I have noticed the last few days the return of our Common Grackles. I know may people disparage the return of these icterids to our feeders, but I tend to find enjoyment in just about anything that comes to my feeder (the sole exception being...Starlings...they have no redeeming features)even the over abundance of House Sparrows does provide interest in their heirarchal social structure and watching them navigate their socio-sexual environment can hold entertainment.
Today, I was watching a male grackle walking about picking at some spilled seeds under the feeder, when a second grackle (I'm pretty sure it was a female) arrived. As soon as the female grackle arrived, I noticed that the male grackle was holding its wings differently than the female arrival. The male grackle was holding its wings slightly askew, as if it were wearing an old western duster (basically holding its wings down to its tibia) but not quite open, just askew. The female by comparison had its wings tightly closed and pressed against its body. The male was seemingly holding its wings this way while completely ignoring the female. It continued to walk around the yard, picking at seeds and mounds of dirt as if the female wasn't there. The female upon arrival instantly ran to a water basin I have set up and took some drinks and then went to foraging. As she foraged closer the male seemed to take more interest, and eventually did two 'fluff and fan' displays, which the female completely ignored and returned to the water basin and then flew off. All the while the male was holding its wings askew. Now I realize this sounds like a very conventional sexual display event, and the only reason I even mention this is that this winter, I had a small flock of grackles at my feeders and the large male of the group was holding its wings in a similar way, ie slightly askew (I thought maybe at the time it was a thermoregulation sort of thing). However, now I'm wondering if holding the wings in this configuration might be some kind of display of dominance, and may serve some sort of social function like an advertisement of health or strength or a message of 'don't mess with me; I'll wreck you'. Of course a second hypothesis would be that the grackle I viewed this afternoon is the SAME grackle from this winter and it simply has something wrong with it like arthritis and can't fold its wings properly.... I just found this coincidence slightly interesting, and thought I'd openly wonder about it. Jacob Ottosen, Humboldt Co., IA --- Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members make it! --- Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use: Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0 --- This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/PayDues.aspx. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected]
