Great-tailed Grackles are a fascinating bird species found across North and South America. Here are some fun facts about these unique birds:
The Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) is a large, noisy blackbird found in parts of North and South America. They are best known for their incredibly long, keel-shaped tail feathers which give them their name. Great-tailed Grackles are adaptable birds that thrive around humans and can be found in parks, farms, and urban areas.
What do Great-tailed Grackles look like?
Great-tailed Grackles are black in color with an iridescent sheen on their feathers. Males are larger than females and have longer tail feathers, measuring up to 18 inches long. Females have shorter tails around 10 inches in length. Their eyes are bright yellow. Juveniles have brownish eyes and shorter tails until they mature.
Where are they found?
Great-tailed Grackles are native to Central America and areas along the Gulf of Mexico. Their range extends from western Oregon and Montana down to Peru and central Brazil. They are abundant in coastal areas of Mexico and throughout the Southwest United States. Their range has expanded drastically northward over the last century.
Feeding Habits
What do Great-tailed Grackles eat?
Great-tailed Grackles are omnivorous and opportunistic foragers. They will eat almost anything they can get their beaks on! Their diverse diet includes:
- Insects and other invertebrates
- Small fish
- Frogs and tadpoles
- Reptiles and eggs
- Small mammals
- Grains and seeds
- Fruit
- Bird eggs and nestlings
- Carrion
- Discarded human food and trash
How do they find food?
Great-tailed Grackles use their long, pointed beak to probe into grass, dirt, and crevices searching for prey. They forage both on the ground and in shallow water, wading into marshes to hunt for food. Their bill is adapted for capturing wiggly prey like tadpoles or aquatic insects. Grackles also soar over fields looking for small animals to swoop down on.
In urban areas, they scavenge through dumpsters and trash cans for scraps. They aren’t afraid to swoop down and steal food from outdoor patios or picnic areas either. Their adaptability to human environments has greatly expanded the food sources available to them.
Breeding and Nesting
Where do Great-tailed Grackles nest?
Great-tailed Grackles nest in a variety of locations:
- In tree branches up to 60 feet high
- Inside dense shrubs or hedges
- Among cattails in marshes
- On human structures like light posts, roof eaves, or gutters
- In nest boxes put up specifically for them
They build a bulky nest out of sticks, grass, trash, and mud. It is lined with softer materials like leaves or paper. Females do most of the nest construction while males defend the territory.
When is their breeding season?
Timing of breeding season depends on location:
Region | Breeding Season |
---|---|
Southern range (Mexico, Florida) | February – July |
Northern range (California, Pacific Northwest) | April – August |
Interior U.S. (Texas, Midwest) | May – July |
In warmer climates, Great-tailed Grackles can raise multiple broods per year. Further north, they only breed once annually.
How many eggs do they lay?
A typical Great-tailed Grackle clutch contains 3-5 eggs. The female incubates them for 12-14 days before they hatch.
Both parents help feed and care for the young grackles once they’ve hatched. The babies fledge from the nest around 21 days after hatching.
Vocalizations and Sounds
What do Great-tailed Grackles sound like?
Male Great-tailed Grackles produce a wide repertoire of squeaks, squawks, and rattles. The most recognizable is their loud, grating call that sounds like a rusty gate opening – “screeeee.” They make this call to defend territories and attract mates.
Females make chattering and chirping sounds. Both sexes can imitate other bird species and even human speech when in captivity.
Why are they so noisy?
Great-tailed Grackles are very social birds that live in large flocks, especially when not mating. Their constant noise helps maintain contact with the group and defend resources. Being loud also wards off potential predators.
Behaviors and Intelligence
How smart are Great-tailed Grackles?
Great-tailed Grackles are considered one of the most intelligent bird species. They have large brains relative to their body size and can solve complex problems:
- Use bait to catch fish.
- Make and use tools to obtain food.
- Exhibit observational learning by watching others.
- Work together to distract opponents and gain access to food.
Tests have shown they can count, differentiate colors, and have excellent memories. Their ingenuity allows them to take advantage of new situations.
What interesting behaviors do they display?
- Males puff themselves up and spread their tail to look bigger when defending territories.
- Anting: Rub insects on themselves to absorb defensive chemicals that repel parasites.
- Males perform dramatic display flights to impress females during courtship.
- Young grackles play games like keep away and tug of war with objects.
Interactions with Humans
What is their relationship to humans?
Great-tailed Grackles thrive around human habitats:
- Scavenge for food at farms, parks, landfills, and shopping centers.
- Nest on bridges, streetlights, and building structures.
- Bold and aggressive – will steal food right off outdoor restaurant tables.
- Drawn to noise and activity.
Initially popular when introduced in California, but now considered aggressive pests in some areas.
Are Great-tailed Grackles threatened or endangered?
No, Great-tailed Grackles have a large range and thriving global population. They are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.
In fact, their populations have increased dramatically over the last 100 years as they expanded their range northward. They readily adapt to human dominated environments which provides them with ample food and nesting sites.
Conclusion
In summary, Great-tailed Grackles are clever, opportunistic birds that have thrived alongside human expansion. Their intelligence, noisy social behavior, unique appearance and adaptability make them fun birds to observe, even if sometimes considered pests. Their populations remain secure, and they provide an example of how some species can live successfully alongside human growth and development when given the flexibility to adapt.