H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Boat-Tailed Grackle

April 12, 2010 12:30 pm

Boat-tailed Grackle -Spc.Name: Quiscalus Major

A large, long-tailed blackbird, the Boat-tailed Grackle is found exclusively along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United States. The noisy, iridescent, purple-black male is hard to miss when it displays on power lines and telephone poles. The smaller brown female is much less conspicuous, and might even be mistaken for a different species.

Adult Description

Large blackbird.
Long tail.
Male shiny black, female brown.

Male Description

Iridescent purple-black over entire body, wings and tail more greenish. Eye color variable from dark brown to light yellow.

Female Description

One-half size of male. Back and head cinnamon brown. Breast and belly paler brown or buffy. Tail and wings dark brown. Pale brown line above eye contrasts slightly with indistinct dark line through eye. Eye color variable from cream to dark brown.

I observed these birds for a while and I was surprised by how astute they are. It was funny to see them pickup food and go to a puddle and dunk it to soften it! 🙂 Cool!