Mr. Not so welcomed friend Kill or not?
- Thread starter Tsossamon
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Virginia is the same way with regard to grackles. If they have become a nuisance, you can kill them without a permit. Same for crows and a few other migratory species. Other migratory species that become a nuisance require a permit before killing but grackles are fair game if they're a problem.
Quote: Good to hear! And yep, there's a whole lot of birds that fall under that law for us too. Actually, the list is only given for the ones that aren't included in it. lol.
I tried a few things to scare them off, with no success. And "migratory" or not... we have them ALL year long here, as most of the South does.
They are definitely smart. Now... one pump on the pellet gun, and they all split. I'd have hundreds parked in the huge shade tree over my back porch, just waiting for feeding time.
Not anymore.
And by the way, I'm not some evil freak that wants to see an animal hunted to near extinction. But go to any gas station around dusk in Northern Texas... these flying rats are no where near in danger of that. They are listed on that danger scale at the furthest end of the reallllly safe zone. "Least Concern" is what they call it, and an animal can't have that ranking unless it's had its status actually evaluated. That means... someone, somewhere was worried about these pests being knocked out, so it got studied (using your tax dollars, no doubt), and they found no risk of that happening at all. lol. There's zillions of them! (And their numbers are just going up and up.)
But, we were taken way off topic here... (sorry OP) About that big a** snake!
What would be the reason to let him stay? He wont hunt mice or rats, once he's found an easy meal, that's what he'll do over an over.
I can't see any reason to not kill him, or call a snake-person to come get him, or something! Get rid of him!
Wow, and we are the same society that laments the loss of the passenger Pidgeon. God, I'm glad I DONT live in Texas and my kids might be able to catch a glimpse of migratory bird species one day.
Do you know what Grackles eat. I didn't so I looked it up. Grackles eat insects, mice, amphibians and seed. This does two things: First, if each grackle you kill were to have eaten 500 mosquitoes. Each of those mosquitoes lays about 250 eggs which hatch out into 250 larvae which grow into mosquitoes. So now you've taken out one grackle and added 125000 mosquitoes.
Second, birds that eat seeds, spread those seeds, so if a grackle eats 50 acorns or 500 sunflower seeds, now you have deprived the ecosystem of the germination of about 5 or 6 oak trees and 50 or so sunflowers, and who doesn't like an oak tree or a sunflower? Or are oak trees and sunflowers bad things in Texas too? Is it legal to shoot an oak tree in Texas?
Sorry for the snarkiness, I'm a biologist. Additionally, I am from NY and my husband is from Texas, so I may be a little pre-wound-up.
Do you know what Grackles eat. I didn't so I looked it up. Grackles eat insects, mice, amphibians and seed. This does two things: First, if each grackle you kill were to have eaten 500 mosquitoes. Each of those mosquitoes lays about 250 eggs which hatch out into 250 larvae which grow into mosquitoes. So now you've taken out one grackle and added 125000 mosquitoes.
Second, birds that eat seeds, spread those seeds, so if a grackle eats 50 acorns or 500 sunflower seeds, now you have deprived the ecosystem of the germination of about 5 or 6 oak trees and 50 or so sunflowers, and who doesn't like an oak tree or a sunflower? Or are oak trees and sunflowers bad things in Texas too? Is it legal to shoot an oak tree in Texas?
Sorry for the snarkiness, I'm a biologist. Additionally, I am from NY and my husband is from Texas, so I may be a little pre-wound-up.
Grackles have taken over! Any suggestions for what to feed them so they stay away from the songbird feeders? ~ Greater Detroit Area
Common Grackles forage primarily on the ground. During breeding season, their diets consist mainly of insects. However the birds are opportunistic and can eat fish, small frogs, salamanders, mice, and small bats. They are also known to eat other birds' eggs and nestlings, and occasionally kill and eat other adult birds, particularly adult House Sparrows. During spring and fall migration and winter, common grackles eat mostly grains and sunflower seeds, as well as corn and acorns. They also eat some fruits.
The arrival of hungry blackbirds in the spring can be overwhelming for some people. Keep in mind that after some spring rains and a couple warm days, the bugs will start hatching. That is when you'll be thankful that these menacing birds are patrolling your lawn for a variety of creepy crawlies and flying insects.
In the meantime I've made a checklist of some ways to reduce the numbers of blackbirds from your feeders:
1) Change seed: Take away cracked corn or food scraps, their favorite foods. Switch to an all safflower seed diet for a few weeks. Squirrels, blackbirds, starlings, and crows don’t like safflower. It may take awhile for the other songbirds to accept the change but it is a favorite with cardinals and chickadees. And gradually the rest of the songbirds will switch over to safflower.
2) Change your bird feeders: Replace platform or hopper feeders with tube feeders, the Squirrel Buster Plus weighted perch feeder, or the upside down suet feeder. If the birds are unable to sit and eat comfortably they will probably move on to easier feeding areas.
3) Keep larger birds away from spilled seed: Since song birds knock seed out of feeders, limit access to spilled seed by placing rocks or shrubs beneath your feeders. Smaller birds will be able to hop in and out of tiny places, unlike big blackbirds.
4) Make the area more desirable for songbirds: Lots of trees will make them feel secure, as will the presence of a constant water source. Blackbirds and Crows prefer the open fields or yards.
Also be aware that the abundance of blackbirds makes them an important prey base for many small predators. Thanks for the question.
I hope one of these tips helps.
Sarah
Thank you! Lots of great ideas.
Common Grackles forage primarily on the ground. During breeding season, their diets consist mainly of insects. However the birds are opportunistic and can eat fish, small frogs, salamanders, mice, and small bats. They are also known to eat other birds' eggs and nestlings, and occasionally kill and eat other adult birds, particularly adult House Sparrows. During spring and fall migration and winter, common grackles eat mostly grains and sunflower seeds, as well as corn and acorns. They also eat some fruits.
The arrival of hungry blackbirds in the spring can be overwhelming for some people. Keep in mind that after some spring rains and a couple warm days, the bugs will start hatching. That is when you'll be thankful that these menacing birds are patrolling your lawn for a variety of creepy crawlies and flying insects.
In the meantime I've made a checklist of some ways to reduce the numbers of blackbirds from your feeders:
1) Change seed: Take away cracked corn or food scraps, their favorite foods. Switch to an all safflower seed diet for a few weeks. Squirrels, blackbirds, starlings, and crows don’t like safflower. It may take awhile for the other songbirds to accept the change but it is a favorite with cardinals and chickadees. And gradually the rest of the songbirds will switch over to safflower.
2) Change your bird feeders: Replace platform or hopper feeders with tube feeders, the Squirrel Buster Plus weighted perch feeder, or the upside down suet feeder. If the birds are unable to sit and eat comfortably they will probably move on to easier feeding areas.
3) Keep larger birds away from spilled seed: Since song birds knock seed out of feeders, limit access to spilled seed by placing rocks or shrubs beneath your feeders. Smaller birds will be able to hop in and out of tiny places, unlike big blackbirds.
4) Make the area more desirable for songbirds: Lots of trees will make them feel secure, as will the presence of a constant water source. Blackbirds and Crows prefer the open fields or yards.
Also be aware that the abundance of blackbirds makes them an important prey base for many small predators. Thanks for the question.
I hope one of these tips helps.
Sarah
Thank you! Lots of great ideas.
P.S. Federally protected means Federally protected. Your local FWS may not be able to cite you but FFWS can. Just like MaryJane in Cali.
If you want to kill something, just admit that you like killing things. There are obviously ways to get around killing, but some people just want to smash something's head in and the title "predator" is a convenient excuse.
I am about to go take out my havahart trap, bait it with some meat and partially submerge it in my pond because I have yet another snapping turtle that took out one of my muscovies yesterday. Yes, I was angry at first and very frustrated. I wanted, for a moment, to smash its head in. But I have chemicals in my brain that allow me to overcome this rage and reason out an alternative solution to my problem.
Do you shoot your chickens when they get into your garage and crap all over everything? Hopefully not, hopefully you just find a way to remind yourself to close the garage door. I wanted to shoot my chickens when they got into my garden and scratched all of my perennials to dickens, but I didn't. I purchased a wonderful device from havahart called a sprayaway. Its a motion activated sprinkler that shoots them with a cold blast of water whenever they get too close to the garden. See, this is what I mean, reason and solution. Thank got I'm a human with an I.Q over 90.
If you want to kill something, just admit that you like killing things. There are obviously ways to get around killing, but some people just want to smash something's head in and the title "predator" is a convenient excuse.
I am about to go take out my havahart trap, bait it with some meat and partially submerge it in my pond because I have yet another snapping turtle that took out one of my muscovies yesterday. Yes, I was angry at first and very frustrated. I wanted, for a moment, to smash its head in. But I have chemicals in my brain that allow me to overcome this rage and reason out an alternative solution to my problem.
Do you shoot your chickens when they get into your garage and crap all over everything? Hopefully not, hopefully you just find a way to remind yourself to close the garage door. I wanted to shoot my chickens when they got into my garden and scratched all of my perennials to dickens, but I didn't. I purchased a wonderful device from havahart called a sprayaway. Its a motion activated sprinkler that shoots them with a cold blast of water whenever they get too close to the garden. See, this is what I mean, reason and solution. Thank got I'm a human with an I.Q over 90.
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I'm going to side with my fellows Texans and vote to kill it. Just like we killed one nearly identical to it last summer after I stuck my head in the coop and came face to face with that 6 ft bad boy, nearly making me keel over with a heart attack...
I dang sure know that one less snake isn't going to be detrimental to nature and tip the scales such that the world becomes overrun by rodents.
Any predator that comes around in hunt of a chicken dinner gets shot. That includes opossums, raccoons, skunks, and the poor little stray dog that came around our house 2 days ago. And lest you all think we're heartless gun fanatics down here, I'll just have you know that I personally cried buckets of tears over that stupid stray dog. But we tried to relocate, he came back, and it had to be done. Why the heck would I want to relocate a snake that would just be a pest for someone else to have to deal with?
As for mice and rats and other snakes, I'll leave it up to the granddaddy red tailed hawk that lives in our pasture to take care of those. He's old and huge and walks behind our tractor when we bush hog and grabs whatever jumps out. Has never once bothered our chickens, ducks, or baby geese. Now HE is a MAjESTIC creature. I just don't get using the term majestic to describe a rat snake...
I dang sure know that one less snake isn't going to be detrimental to nature and tip the scales such that the world becomes overrun by rodents.
Any predator that comes around in hunt of a chicken dinner gets shot. That includes opossums, raccoons, skunks, and the poor little stray dog that came around our house 2 days ago. And lest you all think we're heartless gun fanatics down here, I'll just have you know that I personally cried buckets of tears over that stupid stray dog. But we tried to relocate, he came back, and it had to be done. Why the heck would I want to relocate a snake that would just be a pest for someone else to have to deal with?
As for mice and rats and other snakes, I'll leave it up to the granddaddy red tailed hawk that lives in our pasture to take care of those. He's old and huge and walks behind our tractor when we bush hog and grabs whatever jumps out. Has never once bothered our chickens, ducks, or baby geese. Now HE is a MAjESTIC creature. I just don't get using the term majestic to describe a rat snake...
LOL @ pre wound up. I've been there.
Have you maybe seen a whole ton of pigeons all over in a park? (I'm recalling movies I've seen) But they are like everywhere? Everything is absolutely coated with piles of bird poop?
Okay... so take that scenario, and have those birds be a little aggressive. Now throw in that they hang out in even larger numbers than that. They literally call them "swarms". Now, also add in that the eat big insects... not mosquitos... so they eat the mosquito-eaters. LOL... seriously. They also really would rather eat... chicken scratch, lay pellets, 4way, sweet feed, goat ration, my tomatoes, my pears... I don't think they actually "eat" my cucumbers, they just destroy each and every one of them by eating the seeds inside. Okay... now add that they are smart, and if you cover your garden... they will come in giant numbers and collapse any netting, or what have you that you have installed. It's crazy!!! It seriously gets to feel like a constant battle just to have anything nice in your yard. And don't even get me started on how little these birds "migrate" in the first place. In the winter they hit a little area of Mexico that they arent living in all year, and in the summer, some spread out up North.(Not because they have to for temperatures, or breeding, or anything like that. Just because they are growing in population and need to expand all they can when they're able.) These aren't geese, or those cool butterflies we are talking about. And they live here with me, all dang year long. (pre wound up... ugh. sorry)
TPWD isn't able to... and doesn't want to either. . I'm within the Federal law as well. Depredation... look it up, IQ man.
I posted to put in my two cents about how I would handle a snake or any other predator/nuisance in MY yard. Not to be ganged up on my a bunch of eco-nazis. LMAO
Was I mistaken? I'm not supposed to share my opinion? Tell folks how life is where I am and how I see it? Really? Isn't that the whole freakin' point of having a forum where people can talk to people from other places and with other experiences? For being the conservationist type... you sure are awfully closed minded, single focused, and accusatory. Where's the whole peace thing gonna fit in, Man? LOL *chanting PEOPLE NOT PESTS*
I'm sorry if you don't have the same views as me... but I have a right to have them.
I'm also sorry if you have gun-issues, or protect-everything tendencies... I don't.
I love my chickens like I do all my pets. I shoot every single predator that steps into my domain... be it man or beast. Rather simple, really. No IQ boasting required.
Wow. Getting alittle out of hand here?
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