© 2026 WSHU
News you trust. Music you love.
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Birdsong Break
Through the simple beauty of birdsong, this series creates a quiet space to appreciate the natural world right outside your door.

Common Grackle

WSHU | By Sabrina Garone
Published May 29, 2026 at 12:00 PM EDT
Common Grackle — Lido Beach, N.Y.
Sabrina Garone
/
WSHU
Common Grackle — Lido Beach, N.Y.

Loud, shiny, fearless -- it’s the Common Grackle. These iridescent-black birds are often spotted in large flocks around our region, and they’ll eat just about anything!

Range: North America
Habitat: Semi-open areas
Food: Just about anything -- grains, insects, small animals
In our region: Year-round
Fun fact: Feathers have a colorful iridescent cast when in the sun

Listen for the Birdsong Break weekends on WSHU.

Audio comes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library.
Tags
Birdsong Breakenvironment
Sabrina Garone
Sabrina is host and producer of WSHU’s daily podcast After All Things. She also produces the climate podcast Higher Ground and other long-form news and music programs at the station. Sabrina spent two years as a WSHU fellow, working as a reporter and assisting with production of The Full Story.
See stories by Sabrina Garone
Related Content
  • Gray Catbird — Lido Beach N.Y.
    Gray Catbird
    Sabrina Garone
    The Gray Catbird gets its name from the "mew " sound it makes, similar to a cat.
  • Mourning Dove — Shelton, Conn.
    Mourning Dove
    Sabrina Garone
    You’ll hear the Mourning Dove's haunting song in the early morning, and more often in the summer months.
  • Tree Swallow — Oceanside, N.Y.
    Tree Swallow
    Sabrina Garone
    A small bird with big energy -- it’s the Tree Swallow. These little acrobats are one of our region’s earliest spring arrivals! You can spot them near marshes and wetlands, darting through the air catching insects.