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Wikipedia pic: Nicaraguan or Great-tailed Grackle? (1 Viewer)

Nutcracker

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!
Can anyone tell if this Wikipedia pic from Costa Rica (exact location unspecified, unfortunately) is a Nicaraguan Grackle (as claimed), or Great-tailed Grackle?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thirsty_(8387794451).jpg

My (very inexperienced) feeling is Great-tailed as (even despite the foreshortening) the bill looks very stout-based, suggesting a big, heavy bird. But I may well be wrong.

Is the bird's use of man-made infrastructure any clue?

Thanks!
 
It's been a long time since I looked at Nicaraguan Grackles, but the species is pretty tightly linked to reedbeds. I would suggest that the "habitat" alone makes the ID very suspicious, as you mention.
 
Nutcracker said:
@ pbjosh - I'm also getting very dubious about this one:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...ensis,_a_Nicaraguan_Grackle._(8987850926).jpg

Although at least in the right place (an islet in Lago Nicaragua), it looks very brown below, which apparently Nicaraguan Grackle shouldn't (stated to be much more pale grey-brown). Any thoughts on this one too please?
Click to expand...

Where can you see it 'below'?

Attached is one of mine from Costa Rica but it's not much help on a view of the OP such as this.
 

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  • Nicaraguan Grackle.jpg
    Nicaraguan Grackle.jpg
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andyadcock said:
Where can you see it 'below'?
Click to expand...
'Below' = underparts (breast / belly); in genuine female Nicaraguan, it is described as much paler, greyer than other female Quiscalus spp., except for Q. lugubris. This bird looks to me quite similar to female Q. mexicanus in the brown-ness of the underparts.
andyadcock said:
Attached is one of mine from Costa Rica but it's not much help on a view of the OP such as this.
Click to expand...
Nice pic! Would you be willing to upload it in wiki commons? You will need to be prepared to give it a free creative commons licence so that other people can use it freely. You'll also need to sign up for a commons account. Have a look here and see if you're happy with it: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Upload
 
Nutcracker said:
'Below' = underparts (breast / belly); in genuine female Nicaraguan, it is described as much paler, greyer than other female Quiscalus spp., except for Q. lugubris. This bird looks to me quite similar to female Q. mexicanus in the brown-ness of the underparts.

Nice pic! Would you be willing to upload it in wiki commons? You will need to be prepared to give it a free creative commons licence so that other people can use it freely. You'll also need to sign up for a commons account. Have a look here and see if you're happy with it: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Upload
Click to expand...

Are we seeing the same picture?

I see an image where the underparts are not visible and it looks to be of a male bird?

You have my full permission to upload that photo Nutty but I can't be arsed.
 
andyadcock said:
Are we seeing the same picture?

I see an image where the underparts are not visible and it looks to be of a male bird?
Click to expand...


I'm talking about a second pic, of a female, here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...ensis,_a_Nicaraguan_Grackle._(8987850926).jpg


andyadcock said:
You have my full permission to upload that photo Nutty but I can't be arsed.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Unfortunately that's not the way it works, they are very meticulous about photo licensing at Commons :t:
 
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