Actually, I had the opportunity to see a juvenile Greater Antillean Grackle the day before the cat brought this in. That bird fell from a nest in the sign of the building where I work. That one could fly, barely, but I got a very good look at it from close up because I walked up on it before I knew it was there. They're greyish-black and their skin is dark grey blue, and about twice the size of what I had on my hand when I took the photos.
Also, been studying the bird a bit more, it is extremely reluctant to do anything except cling and perch and when it tries to jump it moves both feet at once to bounce or land. It won't or can't walk the way a grackle can. It might be some other sort of corvid, but I doubt it's a grackle, it's much too small and the feet seem much better for perching than walking.
I was thinking it might be a spindalis (judging from what looks to be a line above the eye), but having had bananaquits in hand before (those flying in the house by accident), it seemed too big to be one. But then, I only learned about spindalis birds a few months ago, but I've never seen one live before. I wish there was some kind of good key to use. I have no idea how it's decided what determines each species.
If nothing else, can anyone give me any tips on what it might eat (judging from size and beak shape). I was able to get a few drops of water into it, but it held it's beak quite firmly closed and the process was hard, but not unlike feeding a pigeon squab.
