Great-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus

Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

Order : Passeriformes

Family : Icteridae ;

Biometrics :

Size : cm
Wingspan : F:48cm-M:58cm
Weight : F: 115gr- M: 265gr

Longevity : 12 years

IUCN conservation status :

Extinct

Threatened

Least
concern

Extinc
in the Wild

Near
threatened

Not
evaluated

EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

Geographic range :

Synonyms : Mexikobatstjärt (sv), Zanate Mexicano (es), Gracchio mexicano (it), Dohlengrackel (al), Langstaarttroepiaal (nl), Great-tailed Grackle (en)

Physical description :
Great-tailed Grackle male is iridescent black, with purple sheen on the head, back and underparts. It has a long keel-shaped tail. This species has flat crown.
Adult female has brown upperparts. Underparts are paler, buff on breast to greyish-brown on belly. It has less iridescence than male, and is smaller.
Both adults have yellow eyes. They have strong, pointed, long, blackish bill, and dark legs, with strong and large feet.
Juvenile resembles adult female, but less glossy, with streaked underparts and dark eyes.
Chicks are covered with sparse grey down.

Voice : Great-tailed Grackle has varied calls including clear whistles and loud 'clack' notes. We can hear loud wheezy calls, clattering and creaking sounds, short cluck calls and a low-amplitude growl.
Courtship display includes 'cheat' and 'che' notes.

Habitat : Great-tailed Grackle is common in open flatlands, with scattered trees, and in marches and wetlands. We can also find it in thickets, farms, towns and urban parks.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: primarily, Great-tailed Grackle was found in Central and South America. But modifications of habitat by human activities have caused the birds to expand their range in United States and Canada (N to E Oregon; Canada; NW Peru; W Arkansas).

Behaviour : Great-tailed Grackle forages in large flocks except during breeding season. When wintering, they forage in single sex groups, and follow tractor to get food.
They also roost in large groups. Great-tailed Grackle is resident all year round in its range.
Courtship displays by males include 'ruff-out' and songs. Tail is fanned, body feathers are ruffed, and while it is singing, head is arched upward. It has drooped and quivered wings, or held out toward the sides.
Male courtship display is exaggerated, with bill pointed down, and wings rapidly quivered, while is singing 'cheat' notes.
Female responds by drooping and quivering wings, with cocked tail, and singing 'che' calls.
Male is polygamous; it has territory including nests of several females and it mates with them. It protects young but doesn't provide parental care.
Great-tailed Grackle nests in colonies of few pairs to thousands, with nests close together.
Male Great-tailed Grackle is shy, and often remains hidden in tree top, while females forage on the ground. Sometimes, it joins them.
It is a noisy and opportunistic bird.
Male often fights, using their feet or by biting. They fight on the ground, but also in town, in the middle of a street. When they are on the ground, they may walk or run, but never hop.

Flight : Great-tailed Grackle has strong and direct flight, with rapid wing beats.

Reproduction-nesting : Great-tailed Grackle's nest is hanged among small branches in trees, shrubs or rushes.
It is a cup of woven plant materials, built by female. She will steal nest materials from one another. Nest is made with grasses and small twigs, and lined with fine grasses. They also use man made materials such as paper and plastic.
Female lays 3 to 4 bright blue to pale bluish grey eggs, marked with dark. Incubation lasts about 13 to 15 days, by female. Young hatch altricial and are fed by female alone. They fledge at about 20 to 23 days of age.
Young females reach their sexual maturity at one year, but males later.
This species produces one clutch per year, occasionally two.

Food habits : Great-tailed Grackle feeds on insects and other invertebrates, and also tadpoles, lizards, small fish, and plant materials, fruits, grains and seeds. It may eat sometimes eggs and nestlings, and it removes and eats ectoparasites from cattle.

Protection / threats : Great-tailed Grackle benefits to human modifications of the landscape. It is now widespread and abundant. It may help in agricultural pest control, but it has become itself a major pest in urban areas.

Other links :
Iucn
Birdlife

Specification sheet created by Nicole Bouglouan

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