Differences between Chickadee and Grackle

Chickadee and Grackle are two classes of birds that belong to the Paridae and Icteridae families respectively.

Chickadee is a group of North American songbirds that symbolizes energy and courage. The name is analogous to the bird’s call notes that is usually used to send out alarms. It is interesting that the number of times ‘dee’ is called out is based on the type of predator. Chickadees are capable of producing 13 types of complex vocalizations. Chickadees are small birds with a round head and long tail. Their crown, forehead, and neck are deep black in color. The cheeks and belly are pure white, while the back is grey. The wings and tail are streaks of white and black. The eyes of Chickadees are brown. Their bill is short, slightly curved, and black. Chickadee is an inquisitive bird and quick in spotting preys and feeders. It is especially known for its exemplary memory. The bird conceals about 80,000 seeds in different places during the summer and reclaims them efficiently in the winter. Chickadees are also capable of identifying and remembering every aspect of their environment.

Grackles are large Blackbirds. They have purple heads with bronzy brown plumage. Their tails and legs are black and long. The eyes are a bright golden, while the bills are black, long, and slightly curved. The males appear glossier than the females. The birds can make various squeaky and whistling sounds. They are known for their courage. The family of Grackles includes 11 species, of which one is extinct.

Where are Chickadee and Grackle found?

Chickadees generally live in dense forests and coniferous regions. However, they can also be found in open grasslands and open woods near waterbeds. They have also adapted themselves to live in parks and gardens in cities. They are regular visitors at backyards. Chickadees are native to North America. They exist there in huge population. There are seven Chickadee species in the continent. Some of them are Mountain Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee, Mexican Chickadee, and Black-capped Chickadee. Similar birds exist in Asia, Africa, and Europe. However, only the North American group of birds are known as Chickadees. The other identical birds are mostly known as tits.

Grackles are commonly found in meadows, woodlands, agricultural fields, and fringes of forests. They also live in parks, gardens, and lawn areas in cities. Grackles are distributed in parts of North America, northern USA, and Canada. Mexico is home to six species of the bird.

What do Chickadee and Grackle eat?

Chickadees are omnivores. They mostly eat insects, snails, spiders, worms, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and ants besides berries, seeds, and fruits. Occasionally the birds also eat small invertebrates and carrion.

Grackles are omnivorous. Their diet chiefly comprises of insects, worms, small fish and reptiles, rodents, frogs, small birds, and eggs. They also eat seeds, berries, and fruits.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Chickadee and Grackle

• Chickadee do not eat Fish while Grackle eat Fish.
• Chickadee do not eat Frogs while Grackle eat Frogs.
• Both Chickadee and Grackle eat Lizards.
• Both Chickadee and Grackle eat Snakes.
• Neither Chickadee nor Grackle eat Turtles.
• Neither Chickadee nor Grackle eat Squirrels.
• Chickadee and Grackle do not eat Gophers.
• Chickadee do not eat Baby Ducks while Grackle eat Baby Ducks.
• Chickadee do not eat Mice while Grackle eat Mice.

Size of Chickadee and Grackle?

When it comes to size, Chickadees are small birds. They are 2.4-5.5 inches long and have a wingspan of six to eight inches.. Grackles are 0.99-1.11 feet long. Their wings span 1.18-1.5 feet. The Great-tailed Grackles are one of the largest among the species. They are 1.5 feet long with a wingspan of nearly 1.9 feet.

The weight of Chickadees depends on the species. The average weight is 0.29-0.39 ounces. while Grackles typically weigh between 2.6 and 5 ounces. The Great-tailed Grackles weigh about 9.3 ounces.

Where do Chickadee and Grackle nest?

Chickadees generally build their nests in wooded areas, four to 15 feet above the ground. They prefer tree holes and cavities. They also use boxes and birdhouses. Sometimes, the male and female partners dig cavities in the trees. The female bird chooses the nesting site and constructs the nest. The nest of Chickadees is shaped like a cup and made of twigs, leaves, and other material on the outer. It is lined with soft material like moss, rabbit fur, and feathers on the inside. Chickadee eggs are pinkish white with dark speckles. The female incubates them for 12-13 days during which time she is fed by her partner. After the eggs hatch, both partners share the duties of feeding and protecting the young ones. The chicks fledge when they are about 16 days old.

The female Grackle generally builds the nest with some assistance from the male. The nests are huge and usually placed on high coniferous trees. Appearing like large cups, they are made of straw, leaves, twigs, cloth, husk, paper, and similar material. It takes one to six weeks to construct the nests. The eggs are bluish green or grayish white in color with brown spots. The female incubates the eggs for 11-15 days. The young ones fledge 16-20 days after they hatch.

How long do Chickadee and Grackle live?

The average lifespan of Chickadees in the wild is three to seven years. Most nestlings face threat of being eaten by hawks, owls, and other mammals that climb trees. The longest known lived Chickadee was 11 years and five months old.

Grackles have an average lifespan of 17 years. However, they can live up to 20 years in the wild. Grackles face threat from predators, worm and parasitical infection besides poisoning by farmers.

Are Chickadee or Grackle migratory birds?

Chickadees are typically non-migratory. They reside in their territories throughout the year. While adult birds always stay put by huddling together in small flocks during winters, the young ones may travel long distances when population at their territories increases after breeding. However, this cannot be termed as migration. Winters are managed without migration as Chickadees have special adaptations. They have dense plumes that help them maintain body temperature during the day. At nights, they roost in flocks. The birds also stay active to keep themselves warm. Further, Chickadees store seeds and grains in summers so they don’t run out of food during winters.

Grackles migrate from northern USA, Canada, and the Great Plains to spend winters in southern USA. They travel before October-November and head back north in February-March.

Do Chickadee and Grackle fly in flocks?

A flock of Chickadees is called banditry. These birds are extremely gregarious. They are friendly with birds of their own species as well as other birds. They use special calls to interact with their flocks. The birds also follow a complex social hierarchy. Chickadees mostly live in pairs during the breeding season. In other times, they live in small flocks of four to 12 birds. In winters they roost in flocks to maintain body temperature.

A flock of Grackles is known as a plague. These birds are highly gregarious. They flock amongst their own and other species. They forage and roost in groups. They form larger groups to stay warm during winters, as well while travelling during migration.

Are Chickadee or Grackle protected?

Chickadees are protected under the law in North America. According to the law, it is illegal to hunt, harm, trap or transport the birds or their nests.

Grackles are protected under the Migratory Birds Treaty Act in the USA. They are however excluded from conservation laws in Canada.

Are Chickadee or Grackle endangered?

Chickadees are neither threatened nor endangered. They exist in booming numbers. However, their population is expected to get scattered and their habitats are likely to get distributed owing to global warming and climate change.

Grackles are not endangered birds. The Common Grackle species is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as near threatened. The Slender-billed Grackle is a species that became extinct in the beginning of the 20th century.

Can Chickadee and Grackle fly?

In flight, the wings and tail of Chickadees are spread out. The birds move up and down while flying and usually do not fly in a straight line. They flap their wings vigorously in short intervals. The maximum flying speed of Chickadees is 12 miles per hour. Chickadees either fly alone or in flocks that may also include other species of birds. They are capable of performing acrobatics while hanging on to trees or bird feeders.

Grackles can fly at speeds of 29-39 miles an hour. Their long tails trail behind or are folded in a V shape during flight. The distance they travel during winters is shorter as compared to other birds. It also depends on how far north they live.

Can Chickadee and Grackle swim?

Chickadees are small birds with feet adapted for perching. Therefore, they cannot swim. But the birds visit shallow waters for drinking and bathing. They are also capable of bathing in cold icy waters during winters.

Grackles do not have webbed feet but can swim short distances. The younger Grackles paddle well with their wings if they accidentally fall in water.

Mating patterns among Chickadee and Grackle

Chickadees attain sexual maturity when they are six to eight months old. Soon after winter, the flocks start disintegrating and the birds will become more territorial. There is no particular mating ritual that Chickadees follow. The male Chickadees become aggressive to defend their territories. Some of them also feed their partners. The male and female engage in singing and fluttering of wings during courtship. The female recites ‘dee’ multiple times to keep her partner undistracted. At the same time, she is observant of the singing competitions between her partner and other males. Chickadees generally raise only one brood each year. The clutch could have one to 13 eggs depending on the species. The female lays one egg per day. Older females lay the maximum number of eggs. The female bird incubates the eggs and also protects them from predators. She is supported by her partner after hatching to tend to the young ones.

Grackles start mating when they are one to two years old. Breeding happens annually, with the partners raising one to two broods each season. The male birds perform courtship flights, dances, singing, and puffing up of feathers to attract the female. They also engage in tail folding that indicate various signals. The female is followed by many male birds that seek her attention. The female lays one to seven eggs in a single breeding season. She incubates them for about 14 days. Once the eggs hatch, both male and female birds share the responsibility of feeding the young ones.

When is the mating season for Chickadee and Grackle ?

The mating season for Chickadees occurs during April-June. The birds start pairing in the beginning of April and by the start of May they start building their nests.

The mating season for Grackles is from March-July every year. The birds start forming pairs when they return from migratory sites to their territories in the beginning of spring.

Do Chickadee and Grackle mate for life?

Chickadees are usually monogamous. Their relationships last for several years or for life. In some cases, the female may dissociate from her partner if she finds another mate from a higher status in the hierarchy.

Grackles are mostly monogamous. They mate for life and come back to the same nesting territory every year.

How do Chickadee and Grackle sleep?

Chickadees sleep in tree holes, bird boxes, or ledges of buildings. They prefer to sleep alone except in winters when they huddle together with their flock. During winters, the birds eat plenty of seeds and insects to endure the long cold nights when they will not be able to venture out for foraging.

Grackles roost in groups, usually on large trees. During winters they gather in larger flocks at nights to maintain body temperature.

Can Chickadee and Grackle be eaten?

There have been instances of people eating the meat of Chickadees in the past. However, harming and hunting of these birds is illegal under modern laws.

Grackles are reported to have been eaten by humans. However, modern laws do not permit killing of these birds for meat or any other purpose.

Can you hunt Chickadee or Grackle?

Chickadees may have been hunted in the past for their meat. However, modern laws do not permit hunting, harming, or trapping of the birds.

Hunting and killing of Grackles is prohibited under the law. Nevertheless, some farmers poison them for destroying their crops and farms. In Canada, killing Grackles is not an offence.

Can you feed Chickadee or Grackle?

Chickadees have never been domesticated by humans. They are nevertheless offered food at bird feeders. People usually give them sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet blends.

Grackles are usually fed with worms, insects, eggs, corn, and millet. Feeding them in public is not allowed in the USA.