I photographed this Common Grackle back in June 2018 at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.
How I Got The Shot – Common Grackle
I was parked on the side of the tour road in the Miners Cove area when this Common Grackle landed on a metal rail stuck in the water.
I had my Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera resting on a bean bag draped over the open window of my pickup. I was using a Canon EF 100 – 400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens. I was shooting in aperture priority mode (AV) with a shutter speed of 1/200 of a second at f5.6 and the ISO at 1000. White Balance on auto. I was using single point, continuous auto focus with evaluative metering.
Common Grackle Facts
- I see these birds foraging in shallow waters at this refuge. They like foraging on the ground, in shallow water or in shrubs. I also have them at my bird feeders.
- It is omnivorous, eating insects, minnows, frogs, eggs, berries, seeds, grain, and even small birds and mice. (Common Grackles will eat other birds’ eggs and nestlings, and sometimes attack and devour the adults as well).
- The mating season starts in spring and continues all summer long. Nests are commonly built in evergreen trees anywhere from 2 to 12 feet off the ground. In the cup-shaped nest, the female lays 2 to 6 eggs and incubates the eggs for 13-14 days. The young fledge after hatching 16-20 days later.