Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula, breeds across central and eastern North America and is a familiar bird of open and semi-open country east of the Rocky Mountains. It is a member of the Icteridae and was described by Linnaeus in 1758. Adults show a long dark bill, pale yellow eyes and a long tail, with black plumage that can gleam with purple, green or blue on the head and bronze on the body. The species is highly adaptable and often nests in colonies in trees, shrubs, cavities or even man-made structures.

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Icteridae — Oropendolas, New World Orioles, Blackbirds

Breeding range

North America: c, e