Generally undesirable, non-native birds prefer bread, corn, millet, wheat and sunflower seeds. To get rid of grackles and blackbirds, supply food they won't eat.

Why are grackles bad?

Those raggedy figures out in cornfields may be called scare-crows, but grackles are the #1 threat to corn. They eat ripening corn as well as corn sprouts, and their habit of foraging in big flocks means they have a multimillion dollar impact.

What can I feed a grackle?

During migration, set up bird feeders in your yard with a variety of mixed grain and seeds. Spreading grain or seed on the ground helps, as this is where Common Grackles prefer to feed – and if they come to the ground they may let smaller birds continue to use the feeders.