Advertisement

News

Grackles invade Irving parking lot, as the birds get comfortable for the winter

Grackles flock to grocery stores for the artificial light — and maybe the french fries.

They blanket grocery store parking lots, perch on cars and watch from light posts.

Yes, grackles are again invading North Texas.

A reporter for KXAS-TV/NBC5 posted a video on social media Wednesday morning of thousands of grackles flocking to an Irving parking lot, where they whistled and squawked.

Advertisement

“Wow! Irving, TX is basically an Alfred Hitchcok movie this morning,” Larry Collins tweeted, referring to the 1963 film, The Birds.

Breaking News

Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond.

Or with:

One commenter said the grackles could be heard at a COVID-19 testing site several thousand feet away.

Advertisement

Long a bane of Texas, grackles are known for their large numbers, ear-splitting noise and general aggressiveness.

Grackles are blackbirds that look they have been slightly stretched, with large, lanky bodies, long legs and long tails.

The birds roost in large swarms during winter months and can often be seen in trees and on power lines, Jessica Yorzinski, who researches grackles at Texas A&M University, told the Austin Journal. They flock to grocery store parking lots because of an abundance of artificial light, so they can stay active overnight, she added.

Advertisement

Grackles also eat various foods, including insects, vegetable matter and even young birds or eggs of smaller species.

But another reason the blackbirds flock to parking lots: A fast food restaurant is likely nearby, according to a recent story in Food and Wine Magazine.

“They love french fries,” said Walter Wehtje, a Colorado-based ornithologist.