Grackles flock in fall for safety from hawks, to find scattered food, and to share a warm roost before heading south. Here is when the flocks form, how big they get, and how long they will stay at your feeder.
Why Do Grackles Gather in Huge Flocks in Fall? (And How Long They Stay) Read More »
Grackles eat grain and seed most of the year, animals in summer, and anything on the ground all year. What they eat at feeders, what they skip (safflower, nyjer), and why that is the fix.
What Do Grackles Eat? The Diet That Explains Your Feeder Problems Read More »
East of the Rockies a small gray bird with a crest is almost always a tufted titmouse. Here is how to tell it from the other titmice, bushtits, phainopepla, catbirds and juncos, by region.
Small Gray Bird With a Crest? Titmouse, Bushtit, Phainopepla or Something Else Read More »
Yellow eye and long tail is a grackle; red shoulder is a red-winged blackbird; short tail and speckles is a starling; brown head is a cowbird. How to tell the four apart and what each means for your feeder.
Grackles vs. Blackbirds vs. Starlings: How to Tell Them Apart at the Feeder Read More »
The best cameras for bird photography under $1,000 are superzooms. The Nikon COOLPIX P950, Panasonic LUMIX FZ80D and Kodak AZ528 compared on zoom, viewfinder, weight and price, plus the 125x Nikon P1100.
The best spotting scopes for birding: Vortex Diamondback HD, Vanguard Endeavor HD, Celestron Ultima and more, with how to choose zoom, lens size and a tripod.
The Best Spotting Scopes for Birding (2026): 5 Scopes and the Tripod to Put Them On Read More »
The best bird feeder poles and baffles: complete feeding stations, top-mount poles for hoppers and birdhouses, heavy-duty poles for camera feeders, and a budget setup that keeps squirrels off.
The Best Bird Feeder Poles (2026): 5 Squirrel-Proof Setups Read More »
The best birding binoculars from $200 to $500: Vortex Diamondback HD, Athlon Midas, Nikon Monarch M5 and M7, Zeiss Terra ED and more, compared on close focus, field of view, weight and warranty.
The Best Binoculars for Birding Under $500 (2026): 6 Step-Up Pairs Worth the Money Read More »
The best winter bird foods (sunflower, suet, peanuts, nyjer, millet), which birds each attracts, what not to feed, and how to set up a winter feeding station.
What to Feed Birds in Winter: 8 Foods That Matter Most (2026) Read More »
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The Best Bird Feeders for Cardinals (2026): 6 That Give Them Room to Stand Read More »