Dear Admirer,
If grackles took the Myers-Briggs, we would definitely rank as extreme extroverts - we are highly social at all times of the year. Several grackles will often nest in the same tree (one study documented over 100 nests in the same tree) and some winter roosts can number in the ten of thousands of grackles. Grackles don't seem to communicate with flock mates about food sources but they will cue into where other grackles are foraging. There is also a definite safety in numbers, too. With more eyes scanning for potential threats. Grackles will also join foraging flocks and roosts with certain other species of blackbirds such as brown-headed cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds and brewers' blackbirds.
If you're wondering, I think our complete Myers-Briggs would be ESTJ.
Extroverted (see above).
Sensing, because instead of intuiting the big picture, we focus on the cold hard facts. Like a stale french fry.
Thinking, because there's a calculating brain behind our beady eyes, plotting which car we're going to poop on next.
Judging, because we're always judging humans. Obviously.
Yours,
Grackle
Have a question for the grackle? Email us at magazine@tpwd.texas.gov and we will pass it along to our avian adviser. The grackle's opinions are its own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
