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Boat-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus majorOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

Breeding Location:

Marshes, saltwater, Beaches, coastal



Breeding Type:

Small colonies, Promiscuous



Breeding Population:



Egg Color:

Blue to gray with marks of black, purple and gray



Number of Eggs:

3 - 5



Incubation Days:

13 - 15



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

In marsh vegetation: bulky and built of dried stalks, grasses, and cattails. In trees: built of Spanish moss, feathers, mud, cow dung, and bits of debris.



Migration:

Some migrate



Splitbar

Overview

Boat-tailed Grackle: Large, black bird with a very long, keel-shaped tail. Male is iridescent blue-black with yellow or brown eyes. Black bill is slender and long. Legs and feet are gray. Forages walking on ground and wading in water. Strong direct flight with rapidly beating wings.

Range and Habitat

Boat-tailed Grackle: Rarely strays from coastal salt marshes except in Florida where it is also inland. It is found around ponds and streams (Florida peninsula), farmlands, towns and cities. Their range is expanding up the Atlantic coast.

Breeding and Nesting

Boat-tailed Grackle: Three to five pale blue to blue-gray eggs with splotches of black, brown, purple, and gray are laid in a bulky nest made of dried stalks, grass, and cattails (in marshes) or Spanish moss, feathers, mud, cow dung, and bits of debris (in trees). Incubation ranges from 13 to 15 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Boat-tailed Grackle: Eats small fish, frogs, snails, aquatic and terrestrial insects, shrimp, small bird eggs and nestlings, small reptiles, fruits, berries, and seeds. Sometimes steals food from other birds.

Readily Eats

Peanuts, Sunflower Seed, Nuts, Sunflower

Vocalization

Boat-tailed Grackle: Song is a loud, abrasive "jeeb, jeeb, jeeb." Calls include a noisy variety of harsh whistles, chucks, guttural rattles, raspy clicks, and wolf whistles.

Similar Species

Boat-tailed Grackle: Great-tailed grackle is larger and has bright yellow eyes, longer bill, flatter crown, and is found inland west of Mississippi River. Smooth-billed Ani has dark eyes, thick curved bill, and long, graduated tail.

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Family Orioles and Blackbirds (Icteridae)_blue
Species Quiscalus major
Length12 - 17 Inches
Wingspan20.75 Inches

Boat-tailed Grackle

Boat-tailed Grackle: Large, black bird with a very long, keel-shaped tail. Male is iridescent blue-black with yellow or brown eyes. Black bill is slender and long. Legs and feet are gray. Forages walking on ground and wading in water. Strong direct flight with rapidly beating wings.

● Song: "jeeb, jeeb, jeeb"

● Foraging & Feeding: Boat-tailed Grackle: Eats small fish, frogs, snails, aquatic and terrestrial insects, shrimp, small bird eggs and nestlings, small reptiles, fruits, berries, and seeds. Sometimes steals food from other birds.

● Breeding & nesting: Boat-tailed Grackle: Three to five pale blue to blue-gray eggs with splotches of black, brown, purple, and gray are laid in a bulky nest made of dried stalks, grass, and cattails (in marshes) or Spanish moss, feathers, mud, cow dung, and bits of debris (in trees). Incubation ranges from 13 to 15 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Boat-tailed Grackle: Great-tailed grackle is larger and has bright yellow eyes, longer bill, flatter crown, and is found inland west of Mississippi River. Smooth-billed Ani has dark eyes, thick curved bill, and long, graduated tail.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats., Strong direct flight on rapidly beating wings with long keeled tail extended behind.
Boat-tailed Grackle Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Boat-tailed Grackle: Rarely strays from coastal salt marshes except in Florida where it is also inland. It is found around ponds and streams (Florida peninsula), farmlands, towns and cities. Their range is expanding up the Atlantic coast.
BreedingSmall colonies, Promiscuous
Population
MigrationSome migrate
Weight7.5 Ounces