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Difference between revisions of "Boat-tailed Grackle" - BirdForum Opus

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(Photo of juvenile. Taxonomy expanded. References)
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;[[:Category:Quiscalus|Quiscalus]] major
 
;[[:Category:Quiscalus|Quiscalus]] major
−
[[Image:Boat-tailed_Grackle.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male. Photo by David Roach]]
+
[[Image:Boat-tailed_Grackle.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br />Photo by {{user|David+Roach|David Roach}}]]
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[[Image:grackle_boat_tailed_f.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female. Photo by: {{user|Gary+Clark|Gary Clark}}<br>Location: Cape Canaveral, [[Florida]], USA]]
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 
Males 16-17" (41-43 cm)<br/>
 
Males 16-17" (41-43 cm)<br/>
−
Females 12-13" (30-33 cm)
+
Females 12-13" (30-33 cm)<br />
−
 
+
Tail very long and keel-shaped<br />
−
Tail very long and keel-shaped
+
'''Male'''
−
====Male====
 
 
*Black
 
*Black
 
*Iridescent blue on back and breast
 
*Iridescent blue on back and breast
−
*Yellow or brown eyes
+
*Yellow or brown eyes<br />
−
====Female====
+
[[Image:grackle_boat_tailed_f.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by: {{user|Gary+Clark|Gary Clark}}<br />Cape Canaveral, [[Florida]], [[USA]]]]
 +
'''Female'''
 
*Smaller
 
*Smaller
 
*Brown with paler breast
 
*Brown with paler breast
−
 
 
====Similar species====
 
====Similar species====
 
[[Common Grackle]] smaller; female lacks paler breast.  
 
[[Common Grackle]] smaller; female lacks paler breast.  
−
 
 
Very similar to [[Great-tailed Grackle]]
 
Very similar to [[Great-tailed Grackle]]
 
*Averages shorter-tailed
 
*Averages shorter-tailed
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**White eye on Atlantic coast
 
**White eye on Atlantic coast
 
**Brown eye on Gulf coast
 
**Brown eye on Gulf coast
 +
==Distribution==
 +
Resident along coasts from [[New Jersey]] south and west to [[Louisiana]]; also inland in peninsular [[Florida]]. Rare but regular breeder north along coast to [[Massachusetts]].
  
−
==Distribution==
+
Only one accepted inland record at [[Braddock Bay Bird Observatory]] in [[New York]].
−
Resident along coasts from [[New Jersey]] south and west to [[Louisiana]]; also inland in peninsular [[Florida]]. Rare but regular breeder north along coast to [[Massachusetts]]. Only one accepted inland record at [[Braddock Bay Bird Observatory]] in [[New York]].
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
−
Polytypic. Consists of two subspecies.
 
−
 
 
This species and its close relative the [[Great-tailed Grackle]] were thought to be a single species until it was found that both nest in southwestern Louisiana without interbreeding.
 
This species and its close relative the [[Great-tailed Grackle]] were thought to be a single species until it was found that both nest in southwestern Louisiana without interbreeding.
−
 
+
[[Image:2430705juviebtg3a.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|KCFoggin|KCFoggin}}<br />Withers Swash, July 2003]]
 +
====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
 +
This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#M|polytypic]] species, consisting of four subspecies:
 +
*''Q. m. major'':
 +
:*Coastal [[Texas]] and [[Louisiana ]]
 +
*''Q. m. alabamensis'':
 +
:*Coastal [[Mississippi]] to north-western [[Florida]]
 +
*''Q. m. torreyi'':
 +
:*Coastal [[New York]] south to north-eastern [[Florida]]
 +
*''Q. m. westoni'':
 +
:*[[North Carolina]] to southern [[Florida]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Marshes along the coast; in Florida, also on farmlands.
 
Marshes along the coast; in Florida, also on farmlands.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
−
====Food====
+
====Diet====
 
Mostly insects and plant matter.  Lesser quantities of aquatic invertebrates and reptiles or amphibians
 
Mostly insects and plant matter.  Lesser quantities of aquatic invertebrates and reptiles or amphibians
−
====Nesting====
+
====Breeding====
−
3 or 4 pale blue eggs, spotted and scrawled with brown and purple, in a bulky cup of grass, mud, and decayed vegetation placed from 2 to 10' (60 cm to 3 m) up in marsh grass or bushes.
+
The clutch consists of 3 or 4 pale blue eggs, spotted and scrawled with brown and purple. The nest is a bulky cup of grass, mud, and decayed vegetation placed from 2 to 10' (60 cm to 3 m) up in marsh grass or bushes.
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
 
Harsh ''jeeb-jeeb-jeeb-jeeb'', unlike the whistles and clucks of the [[Great-tailed Grackle]].
 
Harsh ''jeeb-jeeb-jeeb-jeeb'', unlike the whistles and clucks of the [[Great-tailed Grackle]].
−
 
+
==References==
−
 
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Quiscalus+major}}  
 
{{GSearch|Quiscalus+major}}  
  
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Quiscalus]]
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Quiscalus]]

Revision as of 22:48, 16 July 2010

Quiscalus major
Male
Photo by David Roach

Identification

Males 16-17" (41-43 cm)
Females 12-13" (30-33 cm)
Tail very long and keel-shaped
Male

  • Black
  • Iridescent blue on back and breast
  • Yellow or brown eyes
Female
Photo by: Gary Clark
Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA

Female

  • Smaller
  • Brown with paler breast

Similar species

Common Grackle smaller; female lacks paler breast. Very similar to Great-tailed Grackle

  • Averages shorter-tailed
  • Rounder headed
  • Relatively long legs
  • Long slender bill
  • Distinctive voice
  • Eye color differs
    • White eye on Atlantic coast
    • Brown eye on Gulf coast

Distribution

Resident along coasts from New Jersey south and west to Louisiana; also inland in peninsular Florida. Rare but regular breeder north along coast to Massachusetts.

Only one accepted inland record at Braddock Bay Bird Observatory in New York.

Taxonomy

This species and its close relative the Great-tailed Grackle were thought to be a single species until it was found that both nest in southwestern Louisiana without interbreeding.

Juvenile
Photo by KCFoggin
Withers Swash, July 2003

Subspecies[1]

This is a polytypic species, consisting of four subspecies:

  • Q. m. major:
  • Q. m. alabamensis:
  • Q. m. torreyi:
  • Q. m. westoni:

Habitat

Marshes along the coast; in Florida, also on farmlands.

Behaviour

Diet

Mostly insects and plant matter. Lesser quantities of aquatic invertebrates and reptiles or amphibians

Breeding

The clutch consists of 3 or 4 pale blue eggs, spotted and scrawled with brown and purple. The nest is a bulky cup of grass, mud, and decayed vegetation placed from 2 to 10' (60 cm to 3 m) up in marsh grass or bushes.

Vocalisation

Harsh jeeb-jeeb-jeeb-jeeb, unlike the whistles and clucks of the Great-tailed Grackle.

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.

Recommended Citation

External Links

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