Worldwide Birder

How To Get Rid Of Blackbirds & Grackles (Legally)

Blackbirds are one of the best-known bird families in the United States thanks to their widespread nature and ability to live among humans. The blackbird family contains species such as orioles that are almost universally loved and appreciated. However, there are also species like Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles that are not appreciated quite as much. In fact, some people would love to rid their yards of these blackbirds entirely. If you’re wondering how to get rid of blackbirds and grackles, then this article is for you!

I will explain some strategies that you can use to humanely discourage blackbirds from your yard. I’ll also talk about why blackbirds are misunderstood. By the end of the article, you may no longer be curious about how to keep blackbirds away. First, let’s consider the status of blackbirds in the United States – are blackbirds protected?

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Are Blackbirds Protected?

If you’re curious about how to keep blackbirds away from your yard, it would first be valuable for you to know if blackbirds are protected species within the United States. So, are blackbirds protected?

Yes, blackbirds are native birds in the United States and are thus afforded full protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This means that it is illegal to harm a blackbird or remove its nest or young from your property. Therefore, harming birds like Red-winged Blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds, meadowlarks, and orioles is strictly prohibited.

A male Red-winged Blackbird squawks as he stands on a T-post.
The blackbird family contains lovable birds like orioles and meadowlarks and birds like this Red-winged Blackbird – a species that many consider to be undesirable.

Now, I must point out that starlings are not blackbirds. Although they are commonly lumped into this group thanks to their similarity to birds like grackles, starlings are an entirely different family of birds. More importantly, starlings are invasive in the United States. This means that landowners are allowed to kill starlings or destroy their nests or young if they desire to do so.

You may be curious about how to get rid of blackbirds since you’re not permitted to harm them in any way. Let’s explore some humane options that landowners can use to discourage blackbirds from visiting their yards.

How To Get Rid of Blackbirds

Let’s start by considering what landowners can do to keep birds like Red-winged Blackbirds away from their yards. These creatures are infamous for their territoriality near their nesting sites, as they often dive-bomb those who intrude too closely on their nests. Moreover, they can become common sights at bird feeders, so if you’re desperate to know how to get rid of blackbirds, what can you do?

Well, before considering how to get rid of blackbirds, you’ll first want to be sure that the blackbirds that are visiting your yard intend to stay. After all, blackbirds migrate hundreds of miles annually on their journeys to and from their breeding grounds. Therefore, the blackbirds that are in your yard for one day could very well be gone the next.

A group of Red-winged Blackbirds flush from the ground.
Blackbirds migrate in substantial numbers biannually, so be sure that blackbirds are there to stay in your yard before you consider ways to get rid of them.

If you’ve got some Red-winged Blackbirds that appear to be considering nesting around your property, you may want to know what will keep blackbirds away. Alas, it will be difficult to prevent Red-winged Blackbirds from nesting on your property if the proper habitat is available to them. These birds are very adaptable, and they can nest along the edges of water in addition to nesting in tall grass that is nowhere near water.

Therefore, if you’re keen on knowing how to get rid of blackbirds on your property, you would realistically have to destroy the habitat where they might nest. Most people will be unlikely to find this to be a satisfying solution, as dozens of other native birds will use the very same habitat.

Thus, humanely discouraging blackbirds from a property is a difficult feat, but it is simpler to keep them away from bird feeders. Let’s explore this concept and investigate how to keep blackbirds away from bird feeders.

How To Keep Blackbirds Away From Bird Feeders

Red-winged Blackbirds and cowbirds aren’t regular visitors to bird feeders like sparrows, but they often show up in groups when they do stop by. This behavior can result in bird feeders quickly being depleted by these birds. Therefore, many may wonder how to keep blackbirds away from bird feeders.

Well, it is much easier to deter blackbirds from bird feeders compared to a whole yard, and I’ll tell you exactly how to get rid of blackbirds at feeders. The first thing that backyard birders can do to deter blackbirds is evaluate the seed mix that they’re providing. Are you offering a seed mix filled with millet, cracked corn, and other inexpensive birdseed ingredients? Although such birdseed mixes may be economical, they attract little other than sparrows and blackbirds. Therefore, if you’re wondering how to keep blackbirds from feeders, consider swapping the foods that you offer to birds.

A female Red-winged Blackbird perches on a ragweed stem as she peers over her left shoulder.
A simple swap to seeds that blackbirds don’t enjoy eating at deter them from bird feeders.

Black oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, thistle, nyjer, and grape jelly can attract finches, cardinals, buntings, orioles, and many other native birds. Meanwhile, blackbirds will leave all of these offerings alone, so eliminating cheap bird seeds is a great way to get rid of blackbirds at bird feeders.

Stopping blackbirds during their attempts to feed from bird feeders is one thing, but some are curious to know how to stop blackbirds from eating suet. Is there anything that can be done to curb this behavior?

Suet is a wonderful treat for woodpeckers to enjoy, but it can be difficult to stop blackbirds from eating this food. Alas, if suet is out and blackbirds are around, there may be little to do to stop blackbirds from eating suet. If blackbirds are consistently eating your suet, perhaps the best thing that someone can do is to simply take down the suet feeder for a week or two. Then, try to put the suet back up and see if the blackbirds can find it again after its brief hiatus.

How To Get Rid of Grackles

Grackles are also members of the blackbird family, but they are bigger and more raucous compared to Red-winged Blackbirds. Like Blue Jays, many consider grackles to be aggressive birds that are undesirable to have around a property. If you’re wondering how to get rid of grackles, what can be done?

Well, just as it is difficult to prevent Red-winged Blackbirds from nesting on a property, it is nearly impossible to find an effective way to discourage Common Grackles. It is especially challenging to get rid of grackles when good habitats such as hedges and shrubs are available, as grackles commonly build nests here.

Two Common Grackles perch on weeds as one holds an insect in its bill.
Keeping blackbirds away from your property is no easy task, as these birds are very adaptable.

Therefore, ridding a property of grackles may not be feasible if a good habitat is available in which these birds can nest. Luckily, preventing grackles from feeding at bird feeders is much simpler. So, what can be done for those wondering how to keep grackles away from bird feeders?

How To Keep Grackles Away From Bird Feeders

Those who want to know how to get rid of grackles at bird feeders will be relieved to know that discouraging grackles is as simple as switching the bird seed that you offer. That’s right – the same strategy that works to deter Red-winged Blackbirds at feeders will deter grackles.

Another tactic that will keep grackles away from bird feeders is using a bird feeder with openings that are too small for grackles to access. You see, grackles are large birds with big bills. This means that it can be impossible for them to access bird feeders with small openings.

Therefore, buying a bird feeder with fine mesh or tiny openings will allow small, native songbirds to access the seeds while keeping grackles away.

Do Grackles Eat Other Birds?

There is a long-held belief that Common Grackles consume other birds. This is one reason why so many dislike grackles, but is there any truth to the notion that grackles eat their fellow feathered friends? Do grackles eat other birds?

Yes, grackles do eat other bird species. However, please save your judgment of these birds. You see, birds make up a very small portion of a grackle’s diet. Moreover, grackles typically only depredate bird eggs and nestlings – they rarely attack adult birds. Ultimately, seeds make up the vast majority of a grackle’s diet, with these large blackbirds consuming a very small number of birds.

A Common Grackle poses elegantly on a spruce stem.
Grackles occasionally eat other birds, but seeds comprise the vast majority of their diets.

Are Blackbirds Mean?

After hearing about how grackles occasionally eat other birds and knowing that many want to get rid of blackbirds, you may wonder if blackbirds are bullies. Are blackbirds mean?

I’ve discussed the topic of various birds being mean in other articles, but I will summarize my thoughts again. Now, no bird species are inherently mean. However, certain bird species possess traits that some may view as mean. In the case of blackbirds, these creatures can be very territorial and aggressive towards other birds. They do not exhibit such behaviors to bully other birds, rather, they have evolved these behaviors as a means of protecting their young and ensuring that they receive enough food.

Of course, most will not have a good view of blackbirds when they see a blackbird chase away another native bird species. However, this does not make blackbirds inherently mean.

What Are The Benefits of Blackbirds?

Let’s switch gears here and consider the benefits that blackbirds can offer to people before anyone becomes steadfast in discovering how to get rid of blackbirds. What are the benefits of blackbirds?

First, let’s remember that blackbirds are native bird species in North America. This means that they’ve always had a place on the landscape. From a birder’s perspective, blackbirds are a family with good diversity, and many enjoy seeking out the various species of blackbirds to add them to their life lists.

Let’s also keep in mind that orioles and meadowlarks are members of the blackbird family. That’s right, there are several beloved birds within the blackbird family that everyone adores having on their property.

Although Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles are not the nicest birds to have around, they nonetheless consume many insects during the summer breeding seasons, as these creatures are the primary food for their nestlings.

A male Brown-headed Cowbird forages on the ground as other blackbirds sort through the soil in the background.
Blackbirds serve many benefits to people such as devouring substantial numbers of insects.

Should You Try To Get Rid of Blackbirds?

Okay, so should you ultimately pursue the topic of how to get rid of blackbirds? Well, this is a personal decision that people can decide for themselves. Wanting to discourage blackbirds from bird feeders is certainly understandable when they consistently chase away native birds, so taking action to prevent them from visiting bird feeders is a simple thing that those who feed birds can do.

Of course, excluding blackbirds from a property is not such a simple matter. If good habitat exists, then blackbirds will likely be present. However, try not to see this as a burden; blackbirds are fascinating and beautiful birds to those who take the time to observe them!