Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

46 cm (18") Common. Southwestern United States. Towns, farmlands, mesquite, marshes, wetlands.

Male: black wings and long V-shaped tail. Purple head, back and underparts. Golden-yellow eyes. Best told from similar male Boat-tailed Grackle by location and song. Also Boat-tailed may have brown eyes where their ranges overlap.

Female: brown upperparts and belly. Cinnamon breast. Golden-yellow eyes. Best told from similar female Boat-tailed Grackle by location and song. Also Boat-tailed may have brown eyes where their ranges overlap.

Song: long and loud stick breaking noises, whistles and rattles.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

In breeding display at Cloister's Pond, Morro Bay, California - May 3, 2008

Credit: docentjoyce

Credit: Aditi-the-Stargazer

Male - Cloisters City Park, Morro Bay, CA - April 5, 2010

Credit: Mike Baird

Female - Oceano Community Pond on November 17, 2008

Credit: Jamie Chavez

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Great-tailed Grackles eat breakfast at 5 star Scottsdale hotel.mp4

Credit: BCCHBirder

Great-tailed Grackles

Credit: Dawn Fine

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Great-Tailed Grackle (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:996-great-tailed-grackle-male:1:1 Source: 996 Great-Tailed Grackle (Male), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:996-great-tailed-grackle-male:2:1 Source: 996 Great-Tailed Grackle (Male), row 2

Great-Tailed Grackle (Female)

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:997-great-tailed-grackle-female:1:1 Source: 997 Great-Tailed Grackle (Female), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:997-great-tailed-grackle-female:2:1 Source: 997 Great-Tailed Grackle (Female), row 2