This grackle may not look the part, but he is a hero. He was raised with Dirty Bird (seen below) and once when the blue jay sat stunned by the great outdoors, it was plucked from its perch by a Mississippi Kite. The grackle rammed the kite as it was trying to take off, causing it to drop the blue jay and saving Dirty Bird's life. Here, the grackle shown just starting to develop the fine irredescent feathers that distinguish of the male of this species.

This blue jay suffers from a genetic defect, lacking the oil glands it needs to keep its feathers smooth and hence, flight-worthy. It got its name, Dirty Bird, from its scruffy appearance. Worse it could not tolerate rain, caught in one downpour it nearly died of hypothermia Because it could not tolerate cold, it could not be released. This blue jay found a permanent home in the aviary at Carey Park Zoo.

Each animal has its story to tell and each bird its song. Dirty Bird and Black Bird grew up together, and each were characters. Blackbird, the grackle, tended to charge to make sure that he was fed first. It was this trait that brought him into Wild-n-Wooly as he charged over the edge of the nest and onto the ground. Finally in desperation after returning the grackle back to his nest, the concerned family brought him in for rehab. He continued this habit which often meant that -- until he learned how to fly -- that he spent much of his time on the floor of the facility.

Dirty Bird presented another set of issues. He was born genetically challenged -- lacking essential glands that he needed to survive in the wild. He had other problems too. Simply stated, he was not too bright. He was rescued when he fell from the nest. His rescuer kept him for a few days and then he fell into a water dish and nearly drown. Later he broke his wing. That's when he arrived at Wild-n-Wooly and was housed next to Blackbird.

The wing was set, but Dirty Bird seemed to lack some sense of self-preservation. For example, he tried to fly despite the wrapped wing. Needless to say he did not make it far and had to be rescued. The wing though healed well and Dirty Bird was able to achieve some semblence of flight, albeit clumsy. At which time, he was at age of release and was put out in the soft release cage with the grackle. The first time Dirty Bird figured out the door that allowed him access to the outside world, this blue jay was plucked from his perch by a kite.

The second time he quite literally flew into the jaws of a cat, and it was the warning cries of the grackle that alerted the rehabber to the danger, so Blackbird saved Dirty Bird's life more than once. Eventually, though, the two had to be separated. Dirty Bird went to the zoo. Blackbird was successfully released, although he came back for visits usually to beg for food.


Due to their raucous voices, most people do not associate either grackles or blue jays with songbirds, but according to government classifications used in wildlife rehabilitation both species qualify. Other birds not noted for their song, like the hummingbird and the cardinal, are also considered songbirds.

		A ruby-throated female lacks the red coloring of her male counterpart.
The mourning dove	Northern Cardinal (male)	Hummingbird
The American Robin is larger than the British bird of the same name.