Great-tailed grackles are large, omnivorous blackbirds that are native to North and South America. While adult grackles have diverse diets, baby grackles require specialized care and feeding in order to grow and thrive. The dietary needs of baby grackles change as they mature, so it’s important to adjust their diet accordingly. Here’s a look at what to feed a baby great-tailed grackle at different stages of development.
Newly Hatched Babies
Great-tailed grackle chicks hatch after an incubation period of around 12-14 days. For the first few days after hatching, the baby birds are entirely dependent on their parents for food. The parents regurgitate partially digested insects directly into the chicks’ mouths. This “baby bird formula” provides the hatchlings with the protein and nutrients they need to grow.
If you find yourself caring for newly hatched, unweaned great-tailed grackle chicks, you’ll need to hand-feed them a similar diet. Make sure to only feed insect-based foods like:
- Mealworms
- Chopped earthworms
- Crickets
- Grasshoppers
- Caterpillars
Mash or puree the insects into a paste before feeding to very young chicks. You can also soak dry cat or dog food in water to soften and use as a protein-rich hand-feeding formula.
1-2 Week Old Chicks
Around 7-10 days after hatching, great-tailed grackle chicks will start developing feathers and open their eyes. They are still reliant on hand-feeding but can begin to digest more solid foods. Continue offering a diet centered around insect protein but start adding small pieces of crushed insects, hard-boiled egg yolk, soaked dog/cat kibble, and thawed frozen peas, corn, and carrots.
3-4 Week Old Chicks
At 3-4 weeks, young grackles are ready to transition to eating independently. Their diet should now include:
- Finely chopped cooked eggs
- Soaked dry dog/cat/bird food
- Chopped fruits and cooked veggies
- Live mealworms
- Finely crumbled suet
In addition to continuing hand-feeding, offer the weaning food in a shallow dish so the chicks can start to pick it up and swallow on their own. Scatter live mealworms in the brooder so the birds can practice hunting.
5 Weeks to Fledging
Great-tailed grackle chicks are typically ready to leave the nest at 5-6 weeks old. In the final weeks before fledging, increase the amount of self-feeding opportunities. Provide a variety of chopped fruits, vegetables, eggs, insects and commercial bird food. Sprinkle food on the cage floor so the young birds learn how to forage. Once grackles can fly well and feed fully independently, they can be transitioned to an adult diet.
Adult Diet
Wild adult great-tailed grackles are omnivores and opportunistic foragers. They have diverse diets that include:
- Insects like beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, crickets
- Earthworms, snails, small fish and amphibians
- Seeds and grains
- Fruit such as citrus, berries
- Tree sap
- Discarded human food, trash
- Bird feed (sunflower seeds, suet, corn)
In captivity, cater to their omnivorous needs by offering:
- High-quality bird or game bird feed
- Chopped fruits and vegetables
- Cooked eggs, meat, fish
- Mealworms, crickets
- Peanuts, sunflower seeds, cracked corn
Provide a nutritionally complete pelleted diet and supplement with protein sources like hard-boiled eggs and live insects. Variety is key when feeding adult great-tailed grackles!
Water
Access to clean, fresh drinking water is vital for grackles of all ages. Use a shallow bird waterer and change the water daily. Ensure water is always available, especially when offering dry foods.
Grit
Grit helps birds digest their food and provides calcium. Offer insoluble granite grit specially formulated for birds. Sprinkle a little on their meals or put some in a separate dish.
Amount to Feed
Follow these guidelines for approximately how much to feed baby great-tailed grackles at different growth stages:
Age | Amount per Feeding | Number of Feedings |
---|---|---|
Newly hatched | 1-2 mL | Every 15-20 minutes, dawn to dusk |
7-10 days | 3-5 mL | Every 1-2 hours, 8-10 times daily |
3-4 weeks | 6-10 mL | 5-6 times daily |
5-6 weeks (fledging) | 10-15 mL | 3-4 times daily |
Weigh young grackles daily and adjust amounts based on weight gain. As they grow, slowly decrease hand-feeding and increase self-feeding opportunities.
Housing
House juvenile grackles in a large brooder or cage that allows room to move and flap developing wings. Place paper towel or puppy pads on the floor to make cleaning easier. Be sure to provide adequate perching space as the birds grow. Have a nest box or secluded area where the young birds can rest.
Special Equipment
Caring for baby grackles requires some specialized supplies like:
- Small syringes without needles for hand-feeding
- Kitchen scale to weigh birds and track growth
- Incubator for hatching eggs
- Brooder setup to house hatchlings
- Heat lamp or ceramic emitter to keep babies warm
Having the right tools makes hand-raising grackles much easier.
Common Health Issues
Baby grackles are prone to some common health problems, especially in captivity. Watch for signs of:
- Bacteria/fungal infections – Seen as fluffy feathers, discharge around eyes/nose
- Parasites – Weight loss, lethargy, feathers in poor condition
- Malnutrition – Failure to grow/thrive, weakness
- Dehydration – Sunken eyes, wrinkled skin, panting
Take sick grackles to an avian vet. Maintaining clean housing, balanced diet, and proper temperature helps keep birds healthy.
Weaning
Weaning is the most critical stage when hand-raising baby grackles. Move too fast and the babies may starve, go too slow and they can become dependent on hand-feeding. Follow their lead and decrease feedings as chicks start eating on their own. Schedule multiple supervised self-feeding sessions per day. Soon the young birds will get all the nutrition they require from independent feeding.
Fledging
Allow fledglings safe opportunities to practice flying inside a confined space. Ensure they are landing gracefully and flying strongly before releasing outside. Soft release fledglings by continuing to provide supplemental food and access to shelter as they transition to independence.
Conclusion
Caring for baby great-tailed grackles requires feeding an insect-based diet tailored to each growth stage. As they mature, introduce more variety including fruits, vegetables, eggs, and seed/grain. Ensure grackles fledge successfully by monitoring weight gain and development, and properly transitioning to self-feeding. With specialized care and a healthy diet, baby grackles will grow into their signature noisy, social, intelligent nature.