From Opus

Photo by KCFoggin (Location: Myrtle Beach, SC)

Quiscalus quiscula

[edit] Identification

32cm.

• Bright eyes
• Faint blue, green, or bronze irridescent hood
• Long, heavy bill
• Keel-shaped tail

[edit] Distribution

United States and Canada from Saskatchewan, Montana, eastern Idaho, eastern Utah, Colorado, eastern New Mexico, and Texas throughout the east. Casual vagrant in the western United States.

[edit] Taxonomy

Polytypic. Consists of three subspecies.

[edit] Habitat

Open and semi-open areas

[edit] Behaviour

Walks (rather than hops) along the ground using its bill to flip around leaf litter looking for food.

The cup nest is placed in dense trees, near water.

The diet includes insects, minnows, frogs, eggs, berries, seeds, grain and small birds.

[edit] Vocalisation

Harsh, grating calls.

[edit] References

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links