Diet

What do boat-tailed grackles eat?

Insects, crustaceans, grain and scraps on the coast.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Boat-tailed GrackleQuiscalus major

Spring and summer diet

  • Crabs, shrimp, insects and small fish

Fall and winter diet

  • Grain, scraps and seeds

Best feeder foods

  • Cracked corn
  • Mixed seed
  • Peanuts

A loud coastal grackle of marinas, marshes and parking lots from Texas to the Carolinas.

Which feeder works best for boat-tailed grackles →

Where boat-tailed grackles need winter food

Regions where boat-tailed grackles are present in the cold months:

Frequently asked

What do boat-tailed grackles eat?

Insects, crustaceans, grain and scraps on the coast.

What is the best food to feed boat-tailed grackles?

Cracked corn, Mixed seed, Peanuts.

What do boat-tailed grackles eat in winter?

Grain, scraps and seeds.

Sources

  1. Boat-tailed Grackle — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Boat-tailed Grackle life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Boat-tailed Grackle — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.