What are the sizes of your other bird that come to the feeder? If they are smaller than the grackle, you may be able to restrict them by using some sort of cage.

If you have mostly perching birds like finches, a tube feeder with a perch will restrict them, since they can't stand on the perch. Keep the feeder away from branches though. One red wing blackbirds still eat from the feeder by standing on a nearby branch.

They also sell feeders that are weight sensitive (Squirrel Buster I believe). You may be able to adjust the weight to exclude grackles. Since they are clever birds, some have managed to defeat it by flapping their wings and making themselves seem lighter.

Paul

Thanks. I have mostly smaller birds at the feeders except for my wood peckers. I have also been told that the black birds only eat cracked corn, millet and something else. I thought about fixing afeeder with that stuff and putting it far away from the other feeders and feeding the other birds witha diferent type of food that doesn't include so much of those ingredients. What do you think about that?

No, black birds love Cracked Corn, but will eat just about everything else. The ones near my feeder are fond of sunflower seeds. However, the feeder has a roof and restricts the grackles to just a few at a time.

I have a ground feeder filled with nyjer seeds. I notice that many Red Wing Black Birds often visit for a bite, but few Grackles eat it. The tube feeder above serve the finches who aren't bothered by the blackbird because they can't use the feeder. The ground feeder is currently used by mourning doves, who can hold their own against black birds.

If you sprinkle food on the ground, the blackbirds will go for that first. I vaguely recall that they are also fond of cheap stuff like cheap dog feed, so you can try to give them an alternate feeder with the cheap stuff. However, this will also bring more black birds to your yard plus rodents.

If you set up a feeder for grackles they will go to the easier ones. If there are too many, the rest will go to your other feeder.

You may be better off with a tube feeder for small birds and a hanging cage feeder for the woodpeckers. Both are difficult for black birds to use because they are too big. If your neighbor has a easier feeder to use, they will go there and be his or her problem.

Paul

Oh my. I have this same problem right now. I have to say that all that I feed is Black Oil Sunflower, Peanuts, and Suet, and I am still plagued with Grackles, Starlings, and Cowbirds. I also have cage type feeders, and the Grackles just cling to them and stick their heads inside the cage to get to the BOSS. The Starlings devour any suet that I put out. I have heard people say that putting out only Safflower works. I haven't tried that yet. All of these black colored birds seem to be very crafty and resourceful to me! Sorry to be of little help.

To keep from attracting and encouraging trash birds, avoid feeding cracked corn, cheap bird seed, dog food, people food, using tray feeders, putting food on the ground, or, if they are already so established they overwhelm even nyger tube feeders, then bring all feeders indoors until they move on to better pickings. Then when you do put the feeders back up, watch for them and remove feeders the moment you see even one trash bird returning or the rest will be right behind it

this area gets covered with flocks of red wing blackbirds
from early spring to mid summer they nest around all the rivers and lakes and ponds and irrigation ditches and wetlands the only way i can keep them away is not to feed anything at all. So what i do is put one seperate feeder and a aluminum baking sheet under it out about 40 foot from the other feeders and the local ranch and feed store sells chicken feed that is called hen scratch. the mix i get is cracked corn and wheat kernels and milo that the blackbirds and doves and sparrows prefer. it is only $7 for a 50 lb bag it keeps most of them away from the other feeders in a tree outside the kitchen window.

Stop feeding for a couple of weeks. they will find somewhere else.