While I was recently shopping at the grocery store with my husband, I noticed a grackle strutting down the aisles. It looked as if it were shopping for food! Even thought it looked sweet, on a more serious note, I pondered what would happen to the bird’s well-being if it were not able to leave the store in a timely manner. So I contacted Sarah Katherine Wagner for more information on my question.
Sarah is the Public Information Specialist for the Center for Public Engagement in Science and Nature at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. She got her PhD studying ecology and behavior of birds and has always had a foot in education and outreach. She works at the interface between the public and the Lab to answer questions, convey the Lab’s mission, and highlight resources and opportunities available from the Lab.
Sarah’s response was, “Common Grackles are in the family Icteridae with other blackbirds. Grackles are taller and have longer tails than other members of the family. They are flexible in diet and are considered omnivores. Now, I wonder which aisle you saw it in!
When it comes to safely removing birds from buildings, it is best to think of herding the bird toward the largest opening in the building without making contact with it. Of course, one possibility is that the bird will fly toward the ceiling at which point it is time to call in the professionals. The best thing to do is contact a wildlife specialist. This link will allow you to find someone in any area to help you out”: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-find-wildlife-rehabilitator
