Grackle problem

[JBMasterAngler]

Grackles, and to a lesser extent, red winged blackbirds, have taken over my feeders. They’ve pretty much scared everything else away, and they eat up everything I put out. Anything I can do to get rid of them? Aside from thistle, is there any other bird seed they won’t eat?

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, I left my feeders empty for a few days, which drove away the blackbirds and grackles. Then put out nyjer and safflower. Chickadees wasted no time coming back. A pair of cardinals showed up this morning. No signs of goldfinches yet. Might take them a day or two to come back. I won’t be putting up any suet cakes until the blackbirds and grackles fly south in the fall. Which is unfortunate, because I liked watching the woodpeckers visit.

[eyeguy 54]

RWBB chicks were destroying 3 suet stations o not putting any out for 4 days now. Havent seen them on the oils. Lotta different chicks showing up. A fun time of the year. 

[half-dutch]

On 6/25/2018 at 8:17 AM, JBMasterAngler said:

Grackles, and to a lesser extent, red winged blackbirds, have taken over my feeders. They’ve pretty much scared everything else away, and they eat up everything I put out. Anything I can do to get rid of them? Aside from thistle, is there any other bird seed they won’t eat?

My late mother had that problem pretty bad.  The store she got her birdseed from in Sioux Falls had a type that the black birds didn't like, but everything else seemed to like it fine.  The grackles went elsewhere but the rest stayed around including the gold finches at the thistle seed. She didn't need a period of empty feeders either.  IIRC the place was Wild Bird Connection.

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, I bought a “blackbird proof” suet feeder, and it works great! Downy and hairy woodpeckers are able to squeeze into the openings. Blackbirds couldn’t get in, but they could still peck away at the edges of the suet. I made a minor change in the position of the feeder, and it fixed that problem. This morning, I was happy to see that pileated and red belly woodpeckers were still able to feed from it as well. The only likable bird that hasn’t been able to eat from it was the grosbeaks.

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, JBMasterAngler said:

Well, I bought a “blackbird proof” suet feeder, and it works great! Downy and hairy woodpeckers are able to squeeze into the openings. Blackbirds couldn’t get in, but they could still peck away at the edges of the suet. I made a minor change in the position of the feeder, and it fixed that problem. This morning, I was happy to see that pileated and red belly woodpeckers were still able to feed from it as well. The only likable bird that hasn’t been able to eat from it was the grosbeaks.

 

You got a picture of this contraption?  I may need to get one too.