Great-tailed Grackle

Its range stretches from Kansas in the northeast to southern California in the northwest down to northwest Peru and northwest Venezuela in the south; the grackle's range has been expanding north and west in recent years. It is common in Texas and Arizona in the southern regions. It is commonly found in agricultural regions and suburban environments, feeding on fruits, seeds, and invertebrates.

The Great-tailed Grackle is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) is a large icterid blackbird , also referred to simply as "blackbird", and occasionally "crow" or "jackdaw", though it is not a member of the Corvidae. Similarly, it is often called "cuervo" in areas of Mexico where there are no true crows. More

A large, noisy blackbird, the Great-tailed Grackle has been expanding its range in North America throughout the last century. A bird of open country with scattered trees and water, it took advantage of urbanization and irrigation to move northward from Mexico into much of western United States. Come watch nesting birds at Nestcams. More

The Great-tailed Grackle has a large range, estimated globally at 5,000,000 square kilometers. Native to North and Central America, this bird prefers forest, grassland, and wetland ecosystems, though it sometimes lives in rural or urban areas. The population is estimated at 31,000,000 individuals globally and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. Because of current population trends, the evaluation level of the Great-tailed Grackle is Least Concern. More

banding lingo) Great-tailed Grackle, appeared at Pt. Sur, Monterey County, on 29 May 1997. In fact, it was one of the first females ever in Monterey County (the first male was in 1994). She has already been featured on Joe Morlan's web site with reference to the retained dark eyes at this late date (nearly a year-old individual). More generally, Joe wrote that the Great-tailed Grackle "exhibits a considerable amount of geographic variation and is a relatively recent invader to California. More

The Great-tailed Grackle and Boat-tailed Grackle were once considered the same species. Some species of Grackle, usually the Great-tailed, are confused with an American Crow when people unfamiliar with bird identification are asked to identify a dead blackbird. This usually occurs when birds need to be identified as candidates for West Nile virus. More

Bent Life History for the Great-tailed Grackle - the common name and sub-species reflect the nomenclature in use at the time the description was written. Great-tailed Grackle/Boat-Tailed Grackle CASSIDIX MEXICANUS MEXICANUS (Gmelin)Boat-tailed and Great-tailed Grackles were considered the same species at the time Bent was written. Contributed by ALEXANDER F. More

The Great-tailed Grackle is a large, sexually dimorphic, widely distributed blackbird. The male is glossy black, with purple iridescence; a long, keel-shaped tail; massive bill; and yellow eyes. Flamboyant in its behavior as well as its plumage, the male has a large and varied vocal repertoire and elaborate courtship and territorial displays. The female, about half the size of the male, is dark brown and has a smaller, keel-shaped tail and yellow eyes. More

Great-tailed Grackles make, Mary in Texas writes that about five years ago she was feeding grackles during the winter months. During that time the birds learned to imitate the "sleazy squeaking sound" her screen door made when she stepped outside with their food. Then she was injured in a car accident and had to stop feeding them. More

Remarks The Great-tailed Grackle is resident from the southwestern United States to Central Mexico but is rapidly spreading northward. The Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major, is a largely coastal bird from New York State to central Texas. They are similar in appearance, but throughout most of its range the Boat-tailed is dark-eyed and the Great-tailed is light-eyed. However, Boat-tailed Grackles along the Atlantic coast are pale-eyed. More

Great-tailed Grackles roost together in large numbers outside of the breeding season. In Central America these large, noisy roosts frequently are found in the central plaza of small towns. Source - Argus, Miss_Piggy, uleko has marked this note useful Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. Add Critique Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques. More

Great-tailed grackles are in huge abundance in Texas. Many wake me up outside my hotel room. The evening roosts are spectacular, but the sounds the birds make is down right freaky. I tried to get a video to record the sound. Below is a great-tailed grackle puffing up and giving several clicks and whistles–it almost sounds like camera clicking or weird gears going off. More

Great-Tailed Grackle Picture - Photo Gallery of Birds Found in Phoenix AZ - Great-Tailed Grackle * Most Popular * Latest Articles Add to: * iGoogle * My Yahoo! * RSS * Advertising Info * News & Events * Work at About * More

Great-tailed Grackles are residents or partial migrants, with birds at the northern extent of the range moving south for the winter. In an unusual trick for a blackbird, the Great-tailed Grackle can plunge-dive to catch small fish in the same way terns are commonly seen foraging. Great-tailed Grackles are social birds, nesting in colonies and gathering in large groups to roost. (Follow the links on the left for additional information.) The Birdzilla. More

Aspects of the topic great-tailed grackle are discussed in the following places at Britannica. Assorted References * description (in grackle (Icteridae grouping)) ...quiscula) of North America is about 30 cm (12 inches) long. In the great-tailed and boat-tailed grackles (Cassidix mexicanus and C. major), the male has a long, deeply keeled tail: his total length may be 43 cm. More

touch of clash and class, the great-tailed grackle is the black bird most folks love to hate. After a day of foraging in surrounding fields, hordes of great-tails sweep darkly into town near sunset to roost overnight in noisy arboreal ghettos, stacking themselves tightly from tree top to lowest branches. The strident yelps, shrieks, cackles and cracks, as alpha males joust for optimal perch sites, seem to go on interminably before birds finally settle in for the night. In some well-lit parking lots, complete silence never obtains. More

The Great-tailed Grackle is common from northern South America to the middle of the United States and west to California. Its range is expanding rapidly to the northwest where it has almost reached Oregon and to the northeast where it has nearly reached the Great Lakes. It is slightly larger than the Boat-tailed Grackle but otherwise similar, though it seems more confiding than its close cousin and often allows close approach. More

increase in numbers of great-tailed grackles, especially on the Osage Plains physiographic region which nearly reaches the Kansas - Nebraska border. Platte River Status: A locally common nesting species. The earliest record we have from the Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall County, is 5 April 1984. Great-tailed grackle was first recorded in the study area during the spring and summer of 1976 at the Sacramento-Wilcox Wildlife Management Area, Phelps County (Longfellow 1979). More

The Great-tailed Grackle has a very long and keel-shaped tail. The male is black, with iridescent purple on its back and breast. The female is smaller, brown and has a pale breast. Its eyes are always yellow. The Common Grackle is smaller and the female lacks the pale breast. The Boat-tailed Grackle of salt marshes is very similar, but males are iridescent blue or blue-green and often have brown eyes. More

Notice that Great-tailed Grackle males have a bright yellow eye. This characteristic is useful for separating this species from Boat-tailed Grackles, which has a darker eye. Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) Great-tailed Grackle male. In this view, you can almost see the v-shaped tail. Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) Great-tailed Grackle, adult male. Note the glossy blue-black color; the extremely long, V-shaped tail; the heavy, pointed beak; and the yellow eye. More