Boat-tailed Grackle: What They Eat & How to Manage Feeders – The Mill

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Boat-tailed Grackle: September 2025 Wild Bird of the Month

Identification

Boat-tailed Grackles are larger than common grackles and have a distinctive V-shaped tail that fans like a boat’s rudder. Males are glossy black with a purplish sheen, while females are noticeably smaller and display warm brown plumage. Their loud, varied calls make them easy to identify even before you spot them.

Habitat

You are most likely to see boat-tailed grackles in coastal areas, especially near salt marshes, dunes, and waterfront communities. Unlike many backyard songbirds, they thrive in open, human-developed spaces like parking lots, parks, and boardwalks.

What Do Boat-tailed Grackles Eat?

One of the reasons grackles adapt so well is their opportunistic diet. If you’ve ever wondered “what do boat tailed grackles eat,” the answer is — just about anything. Their diet includes:

Seeds and grains – They will eagerly consume corn, millet, and sunflower seeds.

Insects and small invertebrates – Grasshoppers, beetles, and spiders are common food sources.

Fruits and berries – They’ll feed on wild fruits and those from backyard trees.

Human food scraps – Grackles are notorious for scavenging around picnic tables and parking lots.

For homeowners who want to keep grackles away from feeders and provide for smaller songbirds, The Mill recommends birdseed blends that deter larger birds, such as:

Black Oil Sunflower Seed – popular with cardinals, chickadees, and finches, but less attractive to grackles.

Nyjer Seed – perfect for finches and not appealing to grackles.

Mill Cardinal Blend Bird Seed – a balanced blend that attracts Cardinals.

Pair these with tube feeders or mesh feeders that make it harder for larger birds like grackles to dominate.

If you enjoy seeing boat-tailed grackles at your feeders, choosing the right bird seed can make a big difference. These birds are opportunistic feeders that prefer larger seeds and high-energy blends. At The Mill, we recommend: The Mill Supreme Blend Bird Seed – a backyard blend specially formulated to attract all kinds of backyard birds.

The Mill Supreme Blend Bird Seed – A high-quality blend with a variety of seeds grackles love.

Nothing But Meats or Chickadee – Packed with sunflower hearts and nutmeats, these blends provide the protein and fat grackles seek.

Bird’s Luv Em Blends – Specially formulated mixes that are popular with a wide range of backyard birds, including grackles.

These mixes will certainly bring grackles to your feeders. However, if you prefer to limit their visits, you may want to stick to smaller seeds like thistle or safflower, which grackles generally ignore.

Nesting and Behavior

Boat-tailed Grackles are highly social and often nest in colonies. Females build bulky nests of grass and reeds, usually in marsh vegetation. Males are polygamous, defending territories where multiple females may nest. Their communal nature means boat-tailed grackles often gather in groups and may join other blackbird species in the large flocks, or murmuration, commonly seen across the Mid-Atlantic region during winter.

Coexisting with Boat-tailed Grackles

While some homeowners consider them pests due to their noisy calls and habit of crowding feeders, boat-tailed grackles are an important part of the coastal ecosystem. They help control insect populations and clean up food waste. Providing a variety of feeders and seed types can encourage a healthy balance of backyard bird species.

Shop Birdseed and Feeders at The Mill

If you want to attract songbirds while limiting the presence of grackles, The Mill has the right feed and feeders to help. Explore our full selection of Bird Seed & Feeders.

Whether you're managing a woodlot, tending a backyard habitat, or just beginning to explore birdwatching, this tiny songbird reminds us that even the smallest creatures have a vital part to play.

For more on native birds and how to support them, explore The Mill’s collection of wild bird supplies, native seeds, and habitat tools — all carefully selected to encourage biodiversity on your property.