From Opus

Male
Photo by zweiblumen
Quepos, Costa Rica, November 2004

Quiscalus mexicanus

[edit] Identification

A large (40cm) totally black bird (M) with a long, sharp bill and an impressively long tail that is held vertically in flight, like a boat rudder. The yellow eye is diagnostic. The plumage of the male shows many colors in sunlight due to iridescence; blues and greens predominate. The female is brown with lighter underparts, and with a shorter tail.

[edit] Similar Species

On Gulf Coast, can be distinguished from Boat-tailed Grackle by eye color.

[edit] Distribution

In the United States found from southern California east to Iowa south to Louisiana. Also found throughout Mexico and Central America south to Peru.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

This is a polytypic species consisting of eight subspecies^[1]:

• Q. m. nelsoni:

• South-eastern California to southern Arizona and western Mexico (north-eastern Baja and southern Sonora)

• Q. m. monsoni:

• South-eastern Arizona to western Texas and Mexican Plateau to Jalisco and Guanajuato

• Q. m. prosopidicola:

• South-eastern New Mexico to southern Texas, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí and southern Tamaulipas

• Q. m. graysoni:

• Coastal north-western Mexico (Sinaloa)

• Q. m. obscurus:

• Coastal south-western Mexico (Nayarit to Guerrero)

• Q. m. mexicanus:

• Southern Mexico (eastern Jalisco and San Luis Potosí) to northern Nicaragua

• Q. m. loweryi:

• Coastal Yucatán Peninsula, Belize and adjacent offshore islands

• Q. m. peruvianus:

• Pacific coast of Costa Rica to north-western Peru and north-western Venezuela

[edit] Habitat

They can be found in a wide variety of habitats; marshes, wetlands, hill bushy areas, golf courses, gardens, and shopping malls.

[edit] Behaviour

In hot areas they will drink from any water available including swimming pools, and they may even take a voluntary swim!

They are social, particularly at dusk when they gather in sizeable flocks to roost in trees.

[edit] Diet

Great-tailed grackles frequent urban landscapes, often feeding in highly-developed areas such as parking lots. They will eat almost anything.

[edit] Vocalisation

They can be noisy, especially during breeding displays, when the male issues loud calls at what looks to be great physical effort.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. BF Member Observations

• List of references

[edit] External Links