STARLINGS AND GRACKLES

Order Passeriformes
Family Sturnidae: Starlings
Family Icteridae: Grackles, blackbirds

STARLINGS GRACKLES       Common Grackle   European Starling Great-tailed Grackle       Boat-tailed Grackle
COOL FACTS	TOP
European Starlings are very good at imitating sounds. They add sounds from the environment into their songs, including machines, human voices and music, and songs of other birds.
Common Grackles frequently perform anting behavior by sitting on an ant hill and allowing the ants to run around on them. This is thought to reduce parasites because the ants will spray formic acid as they run around trying to get the bird off of their ant hill. The grackles will also use other items to get rid of parasites: lemons, limes, marigold flowers, mothballs, and choke cherries.
ORDER Passeriformes	TOP
Perching birds
Largest order of birds. Click here to learn more about the Order Passeriformes.
FAMILY Sturnidae	TOP
Starlings, mynahs
Characteristics short tail glossy plumage seasonal change in bill color all species in family are introduced to North America
COOL FACT about Family Sturnidae	TOP
European Starlings are cavity-nesters (they nest in holes in trees or buildings). They can be very aggressive towards other cavity-nesting birds, such as woodpeckers and some ducks. Despite their relatively small size, when they need a nest site they will attack and try to scare away larger birds that try to use available cavities.
FAMILY Icteridae	TOP
Blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds, orioles, meadowlarks, bobolinks, and relatives
Characteristics medium sized songbirds colors range from all black to bold patterns of black with bright colors (including red, orange, yellow) to brightly colored with some black markings loud but usually not very melodious (except for meadowlarks) males of many species have more than one mate
COOL FACT about Family Icteridae	TOP

Nesting of Red-winged Blackbirds is well-studied. Males set up territories and sing loudly, which attracts females and keeps other males away. The first female to choose a male's territory receives help in nesting from the male. Additional females that also choose to nest in the territory do not get help from the male. Although it appears that the male succeeds at keeping other males out of his territory, DNA studies show that some young raised in a male's territory are not his!