Amanda

@Trevor Hey Trevor, thanks for sharing the picture! I’d love to see a Harrier Hawk some day. So I just looked up the difference between all the grackles, and this is what I found out. There is some difference in the tails, but like you I was unable to identify it by sight. But here’s are two tips I found really helpful: look at head shape and eye color. Great-tails and common grackles have yellow eyes and flatter heads. Boat-tails have dark eyes and rounded heads. Check out the pictures below! I am still unable to see the difference between great-tails and common grackles though, which I guess isn’t too much of a problem for me because FL doesn’t have great tailed grackles haha 

Hello from Gainesville, Florida! For Activity 1 I looked into the Great Blue Heron and the Osprey, since I've seen both of those here in FL. I was shocked to learn the GBH eats squirrels and even other birds! They always seem so slow moving and peaceful when I see them, so I'm surprised they can take down a squirrel or another bird. For Activity 3, I think my favorite neighborhood bird is the Boat Tailed Grackle. They remind me of my childhood growing up in South Florida, so I'm glad I finally know their name and now also know the males and females are the same species (they look so different!). Thanks Bird Academy :)