A January 2nd video captured by Yvone Gomez shows a flock of great-tailed grackles swarming a shopping plaza in Cypress, Texas.
The sheer number of winged creatures has caused viewers to draw parallels to Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Birds.
Numbering in the hundreds, the flock of grackles was undisturbed by humans and blocked shoppers from moving around the parking lot and accessing the stores.
Source: Eyewitness News ABC7NY/YouTube
Great-tailed grackles are common throughout the southern United States, says the Houston Audubon Society.
They live in large flocks and tend to enjoy spending time in areas like the shopping center. This is often due to the availability of food via trash cans, and ample perch space in trees, on cars, and light posts.
Flocks of grackles may be aggressive when defending their young or nests. Large numbers of the birds may swoop, chase, or even mob perceived threats to their young. This includes people.
The large flock of grackles captured on camera seemed particularly unperturbed by humans. They refused to move despite being honked at by cars and even shouted out by a child.
This article by Willow Lynn was first published by One Green Planet on 14 January 2024. Image Credit :Alexander Image/Shutterstock.
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