Ablutions

This Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) was bathing in Brooklyn Bridge Park the other day.Then it preened, in those hard-to-get-to corners.Most of the passerines, of the order Passeriformes — who make up more than half of all bird species — have twelve tail feathers.This bird looks black from a distance, but blues, browns, purples, and greens all can be seen close up as the iridescent feathers bounce back a rainbow. Remember that birds can see a wider range of spectrum than we can, so this probably looks pretty spectacular to another grackle.Hey, good lookin’! Bathed and preened, our bird surveys his kingdom. Grackles like the company of grackles, and often congregate and nest in pine trees; at least one pair nested in the park last year (although not in a pine). They are often seen on the ground, noisily tossing leaves out of the way as they search for food — they’ll eat almost anything. Their long keel-like tails mark them out in flight.