Dear Grackle,
Grackles seem to depend on humans too much — shouldn't they spend more time in nature and less time in parking lots?
Yours,
Not a City Fan Myself


DEAR FAN,

WHILE GRACKLES’ CONSTANT PRESENCE IN URBAN AREAS MAY SEEM LIKE A DETRIMENT, OUR ABILITY TO LIVE WITH PEOPLE IS ACTUALLY A SUPERPOWER IN THE ANTHROPOCENE. HUMANS HAVE CHANGED THE FACE OF THE PLANET, AND MANY SPECIES HAVE HAD TO ADAPT TO SURVIVE. WE ADAPTED TO HUMANS AND THEIR CITIES SO WELL, IN FACT, THAT RESEARCHERS ARE ACTUALLY STUDYING OUR FLEXIBILITY TO TRY AND HELP OTHER BIRDS. SCIENTISTS WITH THE GRACKLE PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA HAVE GIVEN INDIVIDUAL GRACKLES “BEHAVIORAL FLEXIBILITY TRAINING” AND FOUND THAT THE TRAINING MADE US EVEN MORE INNOVATIVE AND BETTER AT FORAGING THAN WE ALREADY WERE (IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT!). THE RESEARCHERS HOPE THEY CAN LEARN FROM OUR “SUCCESS STRATEGIES” TO HELP THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES SURVIVE IN THE EVER-CHANGING WORLD. JUST ONE MORE PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT GRACKLES ARE THE BEST BIRDS AROUND!

YOURS,
GRACKLE