SNAP, GRACKLE, POP

Being from SoIL (Southern Illinois), I had never heard of a grackle until I moved West. Maybe we had them, maybe not. But I must not be the only Illinoisian that never heard of the term grackle, because an IL bred friend of mine calls them cackle birds.

They are not as pretty as the one pictured here from Ohio. Ours have no blue or brown; just stark black. They're annoying. They're smart, too.

I mainly see them on the golf course where they'll get in your golf cart and steal your cheese and crackers or any snacks. They wait until you're approaching the green and have abandoned cart. Then they swoop down and snatch your food away. I've thrown golf clubs and golf balls at them but have yet to bag a grackle.

A golfing bud of mine with a pool service says he's seen them take dog food and dip it in the pool to soften it and then fly away with the Purina Chow. What other bird would think of that?

Sparrows, blackbirds, crows, grackles. I'm not too fond of them, and I'm a bird lover usually. The only thing worse is a stupid coot. But I've never had to fight any of them for my snacks.