Here at Amity Worrel & Co., we have a mascot. Not a lion, not a peacock, not some elegant heron perched on one leg. Our mascot is the grackle, Austin’s loud, unapologetically opinionated bird that graces telephone wires and parking lots across the city. 

If you’re from Austin, you might be asking, “The grackle? Really?” And if you’re out of town, you might not even know what a grackle is. 

Let me explain.

 

What is a Grackle, Anyway?

If you live in Texas, you’ve met one. Grackles are sleek, blackbirds with iridescent feathers that shimmer violet and teal in the sunlight. They strut across parking lots, keep watch on power lines, and announce themselves with an unmistakable squawk that sounds somewhere between a cackle and a protest.

They’re not exactly loved. In Austin, grackles earned a reputation as the city’s unofficial nuisance. They’re bold, bossy, and utterly unbothered by human presence. But the grackle is also “the bird people love to hate.”

Personally, I love them.

 

The Symbolism of Austin’s Grackle

Over time, I’ve come to appreciate how layered their symbolism really is. So I did a little research. As it turns out, the grackle carries quite a bit of symbolism.

They represent resourcefulness, community, communication, and adaptability. They’re clever problem-solvers, social creatures, and, yes, unapologetically loud. Depending on who you ask, they’re either admirable survivors or obnoxious pests. The grackle survives and thrives in the most urban, unpredictable environments. It is the bird that refuses to be quieted. And that’s something to be admired. 

Here are just a few of the qualities that make a grackle the perfect mascot to rally behind: 

• Intelligence and resourcefulness: Grackles are brilliant birds, often observed solving puzzles or inventing clever ways to find food.
• Community and connection: They move in flocks, chattering constantly, a reminder that strength comes from collaboration.
• Communication: Their calls, sometimes chaotic, mirror the beauty of honest expression.
• Self-expression and individuality: Their iridescent plumage looks black at first glance, but in sunlight, it gleams with hidden color. It’s a reminder that beauty often hides beneath the surface.
• Emotional release: Spiritually, grackles represent the importance of acknowledging emotion, of being unafraid to make a little noise when something stirs inside.

And perhaps most importantly: bravery.

 

The Sound of Home

When I lived in New York during my early design days, I often called home to Austin just to catch up with friends and family. Every once in a while, as we talked, I’d hear a familiar cackle in the background. It was always the unmistakable chatter of grackles. Instantly, I’d feel that tug in my chest. Homesickness, yes, but also connection. The sound of the grackles was the sound of home.

My memories of Austin are tied to moments like a Willie Nelson song drifting through the air, the crunch of pink granite underfoot on the Town Lake trail, the smell of a hot summer sidewalk, and, of course, the chatter of grackles overhead.

These are the melodies of Austin, and the grackles are keeping tempo.

 

How the Grackle Landed at Our Austin Interior Design Firm 

 

 

The bird officially became part of AWCo’s story a few years ago, during the renovation of our 52nd Street property. We were landscaping the grounds, and the landscaper asked if I had a favorite animal. At the time, I was feeling a bit defeated, and bravery was in short supply. The first animal that came to mind was the grackle. I could tell by the look on his face that this was not the response he was anticipating. 

But it clicked. And we ended up installing metal sheet-cut grackles on each of our gates at the 52nd Street studio to stand guard. The ode to grackle continued. We hand-painted tiles in our bathroom with grackle motifs, giving the birds a perch on another unexpected corner of the space. When we moved into our new workshop, we brought the grackle with us again, this time as a metal sculpture near the front door, a symbol of welcome and watchfulness.

For us, the grackle is more than decoration. It’s a reminder. Bravery in design and in life is essential. It takes courage to mix the unexpected, to trust your taste, to speak up, and to show off your expertise. The grackle embodies all of that. It’s bold, unafraid, and a little irreverent, just like us, which makes it the perfect muse for our creative workspace. 

 

The Spirit of the Grackle Endures 

Design, like the grackle, is not always graceful. It can be messy, loud, and a little wild. But within that chaos lives creativity, adaptability, and life. So next time you hear the cackle of a grackle, take a second look. There’s beauty there, shimmering just beneath the surface.

At Amity Worrel & Co., we’re proud to share our city with these brave little birds, and even prouder to let their spirit perch at our door.

And really, what better mascot could we have?