No more grackles

[My wife's pool boy]

In case it helps anyone else, we found a solution to keeping the grackles (and all of their 'you know what') out of and away from the pool... We used to have swarms of grackles and they would perch on the power lines behind our house. We tried spinners that flashed, noise makers, etc. - all of the bird scare stuff, but none of them deterred the grackles. Now, we hardly ever see grackles in the backyard at all. We still see doves and all other birds, though, so you don't have to worry about scaring them off.

The solution was a fake dead crow from off of Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SGQMF4C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
There are others than this particular one, but I'm sure it doesn't matter - it just needs to look dead.

I read that grackles are smart, so I used to move the fake dead crow around every night, so that in the morning when the grackles showed up, it looked like yet another crow had succumbed LOL. It seemed like from the time I first put it out there, it took several days, maybe a week, and then they were gone. They didn't do the whole funeral thing like crows apparently do... they just got spooked I guess. Eventually I stopped moving it and we just leave it out there. Anyway, it's been 7 months now and no grackle problems - the 'crow' still looks good and I'll just keep leaving it out there near the pool area until it gets worn enough that it needs replaced. I hope this helps you - good luck!

 

[kimkats]

Well that is almost too good to be true! Thanks for sharing it! So easy!

 

[Texas Splash]

Wow. Very intersting. Gotta remember that one.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Looking at the pic before reading your comments convinced me that it was a dead bird! Ewwwwww

 

[mariane]

We have reactivated the grackle war at our pool.
Several years ago, I had stated I would rather deal with the poop on the cover vs. on the bottom of the pool.
I retract that statement.
Now without a winter cover and subsequently bird poop on the rails and on the pool bottom, it is much easier to clean the pool than to clean the cover. No larvae, bugs, birds using it as a bird bath or dead things that stink up the cover and make it almost impossible to clean.
We won't be swimming for several weeks anyway and this way we can enjoy looking at the water instead of the ugly swamp the pool cover becomes.
In our area, the grackles only come around in the late spring. Once they are done with the hatchlings and they've flown the nest, the problem stops.
How is your experience now? @My wife's pool boy

 

[My wife's pool boy]

We have reactivated the grackle war at our pool.
Several years ago, I had stated I would rather deal with the poop on the cover vs. on the bottom of the pool.
I retract that statement.
Now without a winter cover and subsequently bird poop on the rails and on the pool bottom, it is much easier to clean the pool than to clean the cover. No larvae, bugs, birds using it as a bird bath or dead things that stink up the cover and make it almost impossible to clean.
We won't be swimming for several weeks anyway and this way we can enjoy looking at the water instead of the ugly swamp the pool cover becomes.
In our area, the grackles only come around in the late spring. Once they are done with the hatchlings and they've flown the nest, the problem stops.
How is your experience now? @My wife's pool boy

Hi Mariane,

I'm sorry to hear the struggle you've been having!

We finally had to replace the 'dead crow' with a new one... so, the first one lasted about 10 months.

To answer your question, 10 months later it is still working great! We are now starting to have one brave bird come by, but that only happens maybe once a week or two. It may have to do with me leaving the first 'crow' out past it's prime and/or the grackles this spring aren't as shocked by the sight of it. I may have to level up the 'shock and awe' next spring! LOL

Regardless, it's still works like a charm and is like night and day difference from before! We used to have grackle conventions (around 100 birds, I'm guessing) on the power lines behind our pool, and now we only see 0-5, and again rarely, if ever come down to the pool.

Best of luck to you!

 

[mariane]

Thanks so much and glad to hear it's still working.
I've put in my order on Amazon. Thanks for wishing us luck.

 

[My wife's pool boy]

Thanks so much and glad to hear it's still working.
I've put in my order on Amazon. Thanks for wishing us luck.
View attachment 489203

After it arrived, I put it out there during the night while the grackles were gone - I didn't want them to see me putting it there LOL. I don't know if that was silly or not, but I've heard they're smart birds, so I didn't want to take any chances.

 

[W.J.Christy]

Well, the grackles found my pool and my trees in the front yard. Just bought the crow for the pool, and am debating my path forward for the trees.

 

[mariane]

After it arrived, I put it out there during the night while the grackles were gone - I didn't want them to see me putting it there LOL. I don't know if that was silly or not, but I've heard they're smart birds, so I didn't want to take any chances.

"Hey Herb, what's that guy doing sneaking around the drop zone [pool] this late at night?"
"I don't know Winnie. I'm too tired to care. Go back to sleep."

"Ack!!! He got one of us last night! We have to leave and find a new place to live! Right Now!"

 

[mariane]

Well, the grackles found my pool and my trees in the front yard. Just bought the crow for the pool and am debating my path forward for the trees.

Hoping the dead bird works.
While I wait for "my" dead bird to arrive, I've put in an old wood decoy duck in the pool, letting it float around for a day and then last night laid it on its side on the top rail of the pool. So far still poop on the rail this morning.
I've tried the snake, but nothing changed.
My son wanted me to put in a real snake. I told him that would keep mommy out of the pool. lol
They found mine around 6 or 7 years ago and it's been a battle.

 

[My wife's pool boy]

Hoping the dead bird works.
While I wait for "my" dead bird to arrive, I've put in an old wood decoy duck in the pool, letting it float around for a day and then last night laid it on its side on the top rail of the pool. So far still poop on the rail this morning.
I've tried the snake, but nothing changed.
My son wanted me to put in a real snake. I told him that would keep mommy out of the pool. lol
They found mine around 6 or 7 years ago and it's been a battle.

I've got my fingers crossed for you! All of my talking this up has me nervous now At least this is what has worked for us! And it's absolutely worth a try! I think we're all willing to try anything within the bounds of the law, and even then I can understand what desperation might drive a person to do... hopefully this the last thing you'll have to try!

 

[My wife's pool boy]

Well, the grackles found my pool snd my trees in the front yard. Just bought the crow for the pool, and am debating my oath forward for the trees.

I hope the 'dead crow' works for you. If it does, maybe you can lay another one under the trees. I have heard people have had good luck hanging the dead crows - they come with strings attached () for this purpose, so maybe hanging one from the lowest branch might work? Or as @mariane mentioned, maybe a fake snake in the tree?

 

[My wife's pool boy]

"Hey Herb, what's that guy doing sneaking around the drop zone [pool] this late at night?"
"I don't know Winnie. I'm too tired to care. Go back to sleep."

"Ack!!! He got one of us last night! We have to leave and find a new place to live! Right Now!"

That's awesome! Ever since my kids introduced me to "Bathtime in Clerkenwell" (check it out on YouTube if you're not familiar), I've been imagining the grackles doing this! We have to laugh, right?!

 

[mariane]

Reinforcements have arrived! Waiting till the stealth of night to upgrade the troops.

Also, the "dead" decoy duck seems to have made a difference. Only 2-3 wads since this morning.

 

[kul]

This is one of the funniest and best things I’ve read here. That crow really looks like the real deal. Glad your problem resolved!

 

[W.J.Christy]

Interesting read... Grackles Aim for the Pool | Bird Watcher's General Store

 

[mariane]

That's awesome! Ever since my kids introduced me to "Bathtime in Clerkenwell" (check it out on YouTube if you're not familiar), I've been imagining the grackles doing this! We have to laugh, right?!

Loved it!

 

[mariane]

Put out the reinforcement last night.
You should have heard the commotion in the trees early this morning.
Minimal poop on the rails.
So far so good.

 

[My wife's pool boy]

Reinforcements have arrived! Waiting till the stealth of night to upgrade the troops.
View attachment 489705 View attachment 489721
Also, the "dead" decoy duck seems to have made a difference. Only 2-3 wads since this morning.

I love your selection of birds - that's great! You've even selected torn off body parts to lay around like some coyote got ahold of one! I can see that you're 100% committed!