BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, GRACKLES

Boat-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus major

Family Icteridae (Blackbirds, Orioles, Grackles)

Size: 14-16", males larger than females

Season: Year-round along the Gulf Coast

Habitat: Meadows, pastures, open woodlands, urban areas

The Boat-tailed Grackle is larger than the Common Grackle and less likely to form large flocks. It has long legs and a long, broad, spatula-shaped tail that is often folded in a keel shape. The male is black overall with a metallic, blue-green sheen over the head and body. The female is smaller with a shorter tail, is brownish overall, and has a lighter head with dark striping along the eye line, under the crown, and along the malar area. The eyes of northern birds are light yellow, while those in southern Florida have darker, brown eyes. They pick the ground for insects, seeds, and crustaceans. The illustration shows an adult male, below, and a female, above.