The Common Grackle: Spiritual Meanings and Personal Reflections
Do you ever get the feeling that you seeing a bird was not a coincidence? That you saw that bird for a reason? I feel that way all the time. In fact, I have learned that not only do birds have much to teach us but they also have their own spiritual meanings. In this article, I will explain the spiritual meanings associated with the Common Grackle as well my own personal experiences with this colorful and mysterious bird.
Spiritual Meanings
It may come as a surprise to many of you that, despite being such a common bird, the Common Grackle holds a lot of importance in terms of the spiritual messages that he brings. The appearance of a grackle in your life can have a variety of spiritual meanings relating to good luck, divine strength, protection, adaptability, appreciating what is around you, the importance of reassessing what is important to you, divine wisdom, letting go of negative emotions that no longer serve you, emotional balance, and trusting first impressions. Seeing two or more grackles at the same time represents good fortune and the onset of positive events in your life (I recently saw a pair of grackles in a park and that was certainly the impression I received from the encounter).
It is said that grackles are sent by our spirit guides and guardian angels in order to send us messages. Oftentimes, the location of where you saw the grackle is important to determining what message this bird is trying to tell you. For example, if a grackle flies near your house or visits your backyard, it’s a sign that either there is a lot of positive energy or that something in your life needs to change. When you see a grackle, be sure to reflect on the sighting and see what emotions come up. This will help you discover the special message this bird has for you.
There are two constant themes that are associated with the Common Grackle: self-expression and creative thinking. The grackle represents the importance of expressing yourself for the unique being that you are. There is no one else like you and it is very important for yourself and others to express that individuality. The grackle’s unique call urges you to awaken and openly express the unique qualities you have to others. Doing this requires boldness, courage, and perception; skills that all of us have within if we only have the intention to tap into them. The grackle encourages us to go down this path and express who we really are for ourselves and others.
Another theme associated with the grackle is thinking outside the box. Grackles are among the smartest birds out there. In terms of consciousness and intelligence, their qualities rival that of crows. One example of their excellent problem-solving skills is the Aesop’s Fables test. In this test, a glass of water is presented to the grackle with a floating treat and some rocks. In order to get the treat, the grackle has to drop enough rocks in the glass in order to raise the water level enough to get the treat. Grackles have shown time and time again how they are capable of passing these kinds of tests. The appearance of these birds urges us to think creatively about the things in our life that we see as challenges or problems. They show us a higher realm where we can see solutions from new perspectives.
Have you seen a grackle appear in your dreams? If you have, don’t ignore the message because it’s important. I have seen a grackle in a dream and its significance cannot be overstated. According to sources and my own experience with grackle dreams, a grackle showing up in your dreams usually implies the arrival of positive changes in your life, using your unique voice, personal growth, intuition, and the need for a more flexible approach in your life.
If you find yourself particularly drawn towards grackles, it may be that this bird is your spirit animal, totem, or power animal. A spirit animal holds the same energy vibration as you do. In other words, if you were to incarnate as an animal you would probably incarnate as your spirit animal due to the similarities in vibration. Totems and power animals differ from spirit animals in that they are animals whose traits you share or need at particular moments in your life.
People with the grackle as a spirit animal are very creative and feel bored when they don’t have a challenge. People with the grackle as a totem are encouraged to find joy in the present moment, express who they truly are to other people, love their individuality, embrace their curiosity and uniqueness, and do not care so much about being normal. In addition, the grackle as a totem inspires you to release repressed emotions that are slowing you down, communicate clearly, tap into the divine wisdom that is your intuition, find balance in your life, and stay strong and persevere even in the most challenging of times. As a power animal, the grackle pushes us to build communities, find our sense of home regardless of our circumstances, and to find our own unique path to our true power.
Personal Experiences
My personal experiences with the grackle have been both profound and enlightening. The first time I saw a grackle was late last year. I had been going through a hard time after experiencing some career challenges during a difficult job market. During this period, I spent a lot of time outside where I liked to look at birds and meditate on my life situation. I would sometimes stand out there for hours at a time. One day, a strange bird with a long tail flew over me making a weird screeching sound that reminded me of a creaky gate hinge. I looked above me and saw a grackle look at me from above with his piercing yellow eyes.
A few months later, I had a profound encounter with a grackle. I saw one grackle fly over my house, suddenly circle back, and land on a dead tree right in front of me. He perched at the very top, turned his head towards me, looked at me directly with his piercing yellow eyes, and made the traditional grackle screech before flying away. It was at that moment that I knew this bird was trying to tell me something. After doing some research into the spiritual significance of grackles, I came to the conclusion that this grackle came to encourage me. This bird was urging me to embrace my uniqueness, express my voice, follow my intuition as well as let go of repressed emotions that no longer served me. To this day, I strive to do my best to follow the grackle’s advice and guidance.
We live in a vibrational universe where everyone has their own frequency. This frequency determines what you will attract in your life and is based on your belief systems. These things can be either positive or negative depending on what frequency you emit with the beliefs and thoughts that you give your energy to. Based on this frequency, you will attract animals into your life that will match your frequency. They will often be sent or appear to convey messages that, if understood, can help you in your spiritual journey. I have taken this knowledge to heart and have examined my relationship with the grackle.
To all of you who are familiar with the Feeder Watch Cam that the Cornell Lab maintains at Sapsucker Woods, you know that grackles are a common sight at the feeder. They appear every day without fail to eat the suet and whatever’s at the bird and tray feeders. When I’m watching the cam online, I always see grackles and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
I believe that the grackle is one of my totem animals. His message is to not be afraid to express my uniqueness and to embrace my divine intuition over the course of my spiritual journey. This feeling appears frequently when I see grackles either through bird-watching or by watching feeder cams. Their presence is almost mesmerizing.
I have seen grackles do very interesting things at the Feeder Watch Cam at Sapsucker Woods. Sometimes, I will see a grackle barely touch the food and, instead, walk around the tray feeder or just stand there as if in contemplation. One time, I saw a grackle stand at the front of the tray feeder and seemingly stare at the sunset for 5–6 minutes. The moment was so enthralling that I even saw a Mourning Dove join in with a Hairy Woodpecker watching from a suet log (see snapshot below). I felt the serenity of the moment. No matter what the grackle had gone through that day in terms of survival, he still found the time to set aside instinct for a few minutes to think about and be something greater. This behavior demonstrates the spiritual qualities of this bird and the lessons they have to teach us about our own spiritual journey on this planet during challenging times.
Lessons
In the short time that I’ve known the grackle, I have learned many things about myself. Birds in general teach us or, rather, remind us to trust ourselves and the plan our higher selves have for us. They teach us to believe in ourselves. In my case, the grackle has appeared in my life as a totem animal that allows me to see the hidden powers I have within. The grackle taught me to believe in myself, let go of beliefs that do not serve me, and to not be afraid of expressing my individuality.
Each time you see a bird, reflect on the bird’s message because there is a very good chance that your encounter with this bird was not by accident. We see the birds we need to see.
I am grateful for what these birds have taught me and I apply the lessons I have learned from them every day. If you leave here learning anything from this article, I hope it is this: birds can be powerful messengers and spiritual guides.
Next time you see a bird ask yourself: What is this bird trying to tell me? You might be surprised by what you learn.
