Basic Description
The Great-tailed Grackle is a large, black bird with a long, keeled tail that forms a distinctive “V” shape. They measure around 16-18 inches in length and have a wingspan of up to 24 inches. Males are larger than females and have iridescent black feathers that shimmer blue-green-purple in the sunlight. Females, on the other hand, have duller brown feathers.
Where To Find This Bird
Great-tailed Grackles are found throughout North and Central America. They can be seen from California to Florida and as far south as Costa Rica. These birds prefer open habitats such as urban areas, agricultural fields, parks and golf courses.
Habitat
Great-tailed Grackles are adaptable birds that can thrive in many different types of environments. They prefer open habitats but they also inhabit wooded areas near streams or wetlands where they build their nests high up in trees using twigs, grasses or even trash if available.
Food
These birds feed on insects such as beetles, grasshoppers and caterpillars during breeding season but will eat seeds, fruits and grain at other times of the year.They often forage on lawns or parking lots looking for food scraps left by humans.
Cool Facts
One cool fact about Great-tailed Grackles is that they’re known for their loud calls which sound like metallic clacks followed by whistles or creaks.They’re also known to steal food from other birds including ducks! Another interesting fact about these birds is that males sometimes form lekking groups where they display their long tails to attract females during mating season.This behavior usually occurs early springtime when males gather together making lots of noise while showing off their impressive tails.These groups can consist of up to thousands of males, making quite a spectacle.
