I have always had grackles around the house, along with hummingbirds, flycatchers, mockingbirds, orioles, woodpeckers, cowbirds, a billion doves, and a half dozen migratory birds. The mockingbirds are the ones that crap all over the place at my house. maybe I should I start shooting them?

Where does that argument end? I kill bugs that try to eat my house - is that wrong?

Peter I am suggesting reasonable and responsible stewardship of all who live among nature.

But what is reasonable and responsible? Maybe the bugs that I kill are themselves predators of something that is far more dangerous?

And maybe I'm the Queen of England.

I take it you've not read up much on this subject, about the complex links between species and how interference with one can have totally unexpected consequences to another? There are many recorded and reported instances, in all countries.

Peter I'm attempting to use levity to avoid a protracted and inane argument with you. Enjoy the photo of the baby birds already and respect and celebrate nature the best way you know how.

Oh I see. Yes, it was very funny.

Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie..... Hmmm are greckles as tasty as blackbirds, maybe a new venture for some enterprising soul.

The senseless killing of anything is completely ridiculous.

For someone who writes books about birds you sure don't seem to care that much about them. Hawks and various other raptors also eat birds. Do you kill them as well? Osprey kill fish and shit more then any other creature on this island and we don't kill them (i think). Hermit crabs also eat dog food I try not to kill them either.

In the end it is this type of mentality that will be our undoing. Kill the fish because they kill other fish. Kill the wild horses because they eat the grass for my cows. Kill the wolves because they eat the sheep. Kill the Muslims because they hate Jews...... this goes on and on and on.

At some point people in general need to stop considering themselves to know everything about everything and realize that your right to exist is all you have and fishing to feed your self or hunting to feed your self is okay but everything else you do has far reaching impacts beyond your miniscule grasp of life.

Shooting birds for no reason sounds like what I did as a small minded child. Thankfully I grew out of that several years ago. Maybe there is hope for you.

Who knows one of these days someone might actually like grackles and shoot the people that shoot them for no other reason then they like grackles.

Grackels are cool and they look evil which makes them even cooler.