Blackbirds in texas are very common instead many people didn’t pay attention to them. They are all common songbirds that are members of the Icteridae family and frequently have bright colors, despite being referred to as “blackbirds.” In North America, they are categorized as New World Blackbirds to distinguish them from European Blackbirds, which are members of the thrush family. Texas has a wide range of habitats and a wide variety of species, yet blackbirds are surprisingly common there.
State checklists identify twenty of the 23 blackbirds observed in Texas as regularly present; three are listed as rare or accidental, and three are also thought to be vulnerable or near-threatened. Blackbirds are considered an agricultural inconvenience since they may eat a lot of seeds and cereals. The bulk of the nation’s blackbird species is found in Texas, making it an excellent place to watch them. In actuality, Texas is home to 23 of the 25 possible species of New World Blackbirds in North America.
Blackbirds are interesting, whether you consider them to be clever, intelligent acrobats or unpleasant pests. These are a few blackbirds that you might see on your trip to Texas. Check out some amazing facts about the several blackbird species that may be found in Texas below.
Black Birds
Blackbirds are notorious for their aggression, commotion, and appetite. Have you got any? They may have been glancing at your feeders and scaring your other dazzling, tiny musical balls away (goodbye, cardinals.) One of them may have spat angry “words” in your face for invading his highly protected region, which is startlingly similar in size to his ego.
Possibly, all you know about a blackbird is that it’s a blackbird. We go into the world of blackbirds to learn more about their characteristics and how to keep them away from the feeders we set out for the little ones.
Not all blackbirds are blackbirds
Contrary to popular belief, real blackbirds, grackles, orioles, cowbirds, meadowlarks, and the bobolink are all members of the Icteridae family of birds (among others.) Since many of the birds in this family have bright yellow, orange, and red feathers, the technical term for jaundice,
“icterus,” which means yellow, is fitting. The birds without the warm-hued, vivid feathers also frequently exhibit iridescent greens and blues. In actuality, these birds are quite colorful!
Knowing this helps differentiate them from a blackbird, such as a crow, simple. Crows, which are members of the unique family of birds known as Corvidae, are larger and more intelligent than blackbirds. One of the basic signs is the color of the feathers. In contrast to blackbirds, crows have smooth, black feathers that are simply black and devoid of any iridescence.
BLACKBIRDS IN TEXAS
Common Grackle
Texans are familiar with grackles. They wreck automobiles occasionally, blanket yards and electric lines, and create the most repulsive noises. The smallest of the three grackle species that breed in Texas is the common grackle, which is frequently spotted in much of east and north Texas. Grain products like rice and corn are among their favorite foods. They can also eat garbage, mice, insects, spiders, fish, frogs, and other creatures, in addition to these.
In Texas, the common grackle differs from other members of its family due to its all-black plumage, golden eye, and longer but not excessively long tail. This medium-sized blackbird is larger than other blackbirds found in Texas.
Red-winged Blackbird
In Texas, you can observe these blackbirds year-round; they are the most prevalent in the country. Almost any weed-filled ditch or wet, brushy area could serve as a nesting site. During the breeding season, male Red-wings are ferociously territorial and fiercely defend their nests and females. When a rival ignores their displays, they will chase them since they are the most threatening blackbirds on the block, as seen by their flashy red shoulders.
They spend hours chasing other males away and will even assault prospective nest predators—including people—that are 100 times bigger than themselves. The next time you visit the area where this bird lives, exercise caution
Bronzed Cowbird
Bronzed cowbirds are found in Texas, where they spend their breeding season, in 4% of summer checklists. Despite the fact that some stay in the state all year, they are most frequently spotted from mid-March to November. The brown head and glossy blue-black body of the bronzed cowbird make it simple to recognize.
They have darker eyes and larger, stockier bodies than other cowbirds and have crimson eyes against their black coloring. During the summer, they primarily reproduce in Florida and California, two southern states. The eggs of these birds are laid in the nests of other species, just like those of all cowbird species.
Great-tailed Grackle
Great-tailed grackles have an excellent memory, and it has frequently been observed that they can recall and identify the faces of certain researchers. They respond with a chut alarm call when they spot a researcher working in their breeding colony!
If a Brewer’s were stretched and dragged out like silly putty, males would resemble one very much. They have a v-shaped tail that is almost as long as their body, and they are glossy black and iridescent. females lack the keel-shaped tail and are smaller than males. They parade around on lengthy legs and are buffy brown overall with some light iridescent.
European Starling
The European starling spends the entire year in Texas. Despite not being native, these starlings are now among the most common songbirds. Starlings are entertaining to watch and have beautiful plumage when they are limited in number. They are listed on 22% of the winter checklists and 19% of the summer checklists that the state’s bird watchers have submitted.
Sadly, when they arrive in large groups, these aggressive birds have a tendency to disrupt events by driving away other birds and devouring your pricey bird food. These blackbirds are renowned for their singing prowess and ability to mimic a variety of avian noises.
Brewer’s Blackbird
The coat of all males is shiny black. On the head and body, their feathers have a purple-blue iridescent sheen that changes to a blue-green sheen as it descends. They have glowing golden eyes. The color of females is drab, unmarked, and grey-brown. They typically have dark eyes, wings, and tails (the dark eye is helpful when distinguishing them from the female Rusty Blackbird.)
Before heading back to the north to breed, Brewer’s Blackbirds spend the winter all around Texas. They can be discovered in a variety of settings, including farms, urban parks, riverbanks, and coastal scrub. The flocks that hibernate rove widely.
Bobolink
Bobolinks are not widespread in Texas; they are far more numerous towards the east. They breed in the northern United States and Canada and spend the winter in South America. Bobolinks are known to frequently visit Texas, and they can be spotted there during the spring and fall migrations, despite the fact that they are infrequently observed there.
Both bobolink populations and the grasses on which they depend have decreased recently. Black bellies, white backs, and a brilliant pale yellow patch that resembles hair on the backs of their heads give male breeding bobolinks a stunning appearance.
Rusty Blackbird
The seasons affect the their color patterns. During the summer breeding season, they are black with light glossy iridescence, similar to Brewer’s Blackbirds but not nearly as shiny. They turn more “rusty” overall in the fall and winter, with edges that are a deeper shade of brown and cinnamon. In the same manner, women can change the color of their hair. Throughout the fall and winter, the color of breeding females transitions from silvery grey to a more rusty, brown tone.
Rusty Blackbirds spend most of their winters in eastern Texas. Here is one of the few locations where the distributions of the Rusty and Brewer are identical. When they seem to be so similar to one another, how can you tell the two apart?
Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore oriole and other species of orioles belong to the family Icteridae. The greatest times to view these magnificent birds in Texas are from April to May and from September to October, even though they can be spotted there from April to October. The Baltimore orioles are a vibrant indication of spring in eastern North America.
Female birds are duller in color and lack a black hood or back, while male birds have a beautiful combination of orange and black with white wing bars. The insects they eat include grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, spiders, and snails.
Yellow-headed Blackbird
The males of this species are sleek and black, with brilliant yellow heads, and their wings are contrasted with white patches. Females tend to have darker complexion in general, with yellow on their cheeks and breasts. Yellow-headed male In North America, blackbirds are unlike any other birds and are very recognizable. This makes it easy to tell it from other birds.
Due to the distance, they must travel throughout Texas to go to their breeding and wintering grounds, these animals don’t stay in Texas for very long. The majority of birds migrate to Mexico, while a few may occasionally spend the winter in the southernmost regions of Texas. They travel in huge, boisterous flocks of only one sex.
Final Thoughts
Blackbirds may not be a backyard birder’s first choice of visitor, but it’s hard not to adore their outspoken nature and magnificent coloring. Now that you know how to spot blackbirds in your area, you can either get close to them to admire their lovely plumage or keep them away with their tone-deaf calls.
They make noise, and as we mentioned with the prior bird, that noise isn’t always pleasant. They also have a track record for being vicious meatheads. At your feeder, they typically outnumber any particular species of songbird, but they are also unpleasant and will frighten them away, hoard all the food, and even grab food right out of their bills! For more tricks to avoid black birds from the porch read our article: how to keep birds off porch.
