Boat-tailed Grackle
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| Boat-tailed Grackle | ||||||||||||||
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| Quiscalus major Vieillot, 1819 |
The Boat-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus major, is a large blackbird. It is a permanent resident breeding bird on the coasts of the southeastern USA.
It is found in coastal saltwater marshes, and, in Florida, also on inland waters. The nest is a well-concealed cup in trees or shrubs near water; three to five eggs are laid.
The male Boat-tailed Grackle is 42 cm long. Adult males have entirely iridescent black plumage, a long dark bill, a pale yellowish or brown iris and a long keel-shaped tail. The 37-cm long adult female is shorter tailed, and tawny-brown in colour apart from the darker wings and tail.
Young males are black but lack the adult's iridescence. Immature females are duller versions of the adult female, and have blotches or spots on the breast.
Despite its restricted range, there are four subspecies of the Boat-tailed Grackle, differing in size and iris colour.
These birds forage on the ground, in shallow water or in shrubs; they will steal food from other birds. They are omnivorous, eating insects, minnows, frogs, eggs, berries, seeds and grain, even small birds.
This bird's song is a harsh jeeb , and it has a variety of typically grackle-like chatters and sqeaks.nl:Bootstaarttroepiaal