# What are these black birds all over the place in Disney world?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 20, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251 "2013-04-20T20:02:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/1 "2013-04-20T20:02:34Z")
So we’re in Disney World, and there are these black birds all over the resorts. They act like pigeons, hanging around pool side looking for food. Anyone know specifically what they are?
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### Author:  [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2013, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/2 "2013-04-20T20:19:58Z")
Squat, inelegant, chattery, and speckled with white? Starlings. Sleek, iridescent, and raucous? Grackles. Hard to link on my phone check Google Images.
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### Author:  [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/3 "2013-04-20T20:24:57Z")
No–no speckles, all black with yellow eyes. I haven’t heard any of them making any noise, either. But very brazen, they walk right up to people like pigeons in New York.
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### Author:  [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/4 "2013-04-20T20:27:14Z")
Just googled done images of grackle and I think you’re right, that’s them. Thanks
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### Author:  [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/5 "2013-04-20T21:07:31Z")
> [@batsto](#):
>
> Just googled done images of grackle and I think you’re right, that’s them. Thanks
During mating season these jokers are hilarious. The males perform a move in front of the females that looks a lot like a flasher in an overcoat. [I can’t find a good video of the stunt](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpG-zhR85l4), but the male tap dances around the female, stops in front of her, stands on tiptoes, opens his wings wide, and thrusts his belly out in her face. It looks pretty rude, but the females seem to dig it.
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### Author:  [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/6 "2013-04-20T21:39:41Z")
Thanks. I don’t know anything about birds, but these guys have been fascinating me. Probably because they’re getting do close that I can really see them
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### Author:  [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/7 "2013-04-20T22:39:19Z")
Found a pretty good grackle flasher video: [Grackles Puffing Up to Squawk! [Backyard Bag Feeder Project] - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTicoX3uO9U)
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### Author:  [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/8 "2013-04-22T02:14:28Z")
Thanks…that’s one of the stranger things I’ve seen
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### Author:  [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/9 "2013-04-22T03:45:48Z")
[Were they singing?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2d4bj592ig)
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/10 "2013-04-22T03:49:52Z")
Specifically Boat-tailed Grackles.
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### Author:  [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2013, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/11 "2013-04-22T05:39:54Z")
I love these often ignored birds. They’re tiny dinosaurs! and so intelligent! I’ve seen them use bait to go fishing in the water.
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### Author:  [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2013, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-black-birds-all-over-the-place-in-disney-world/656251/12 "2013-04-22T05:59:12Z")
> [@Troppus](#):
>
> During mating season these jokers are hilarious. The males perform a move in front of the females that looks a lot like a flasher in an overcoat. [I can’t find a good video of the stunt](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpG-zhR85l4), but the male tap dances around the female, stops in front of her, stands on tiptoes, opens his wings wide, and thrusts his belly out in her face. It looks pretty rude, but the females seem to dig it.
I gotta try that with my girlfriend.