Common Grackles are blackbirds that look like they've been slightly stretched. They're taller and longer tailed than a typical blackbird, with a longer, more tapered bill and glossy-iridescent bodies.

The common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) is a species of large icterid bird found in large numbers through much of North America. First described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, the common grackle has three subspecies.

Oct 14, 2024 · Grackles are large blackbirds that have a reputation as bullies at feeders. See three types of grackle birds to look for across America.

A big, brash blackbird, the male Great-tailed Grackle shimmers in iridescent black and purple, and trails a tail that will make you look twice. The rich brown females are about half the male’s size.

Feb 26, 2025 · At a glance, many birders might confuse a common grackle for other black birds, including European starlings, red-winged blackbirds or American crows. Look closer, however, at these robin-sized birds, and you’ll spot a number of differences.

Common Grackles are recognized by their long, keel-shaped tails, fairly heavy and sharp bills, yellow eyes, and (in males) glossy black plumage with an iridescent sheen. The word "grackle" derives from the Latin word for Europe's jackdaw, a somewhat similar-looking but unrelated bird.

The great-tailed grackle or Mexican grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) is a medium-sized, highly social passerine bird native to North and South America. A member of the family Icteridae, it is one of 10 extant species of grackle and is closely related to the boat-tailed grackle and the extinct slender-billed grackle. [2]

Jul 15, 2011 · Read on to learn more about these birds, and find out if you are indeed ‘getting your Grackles right’! In North America three grackle species occur: Common, Great-tailed, and Boat-tailed. All are generally similar in appearance, with males glossy iridescent black and females brownish.

Large, lanky songbird with a long V-shaped tail, long legs, and a long, pointed bill. Adult males are glossy black overall with an iridescent purple sheen on the head. Individuals in Florida and along the Gulf Coast have a dark eye.

Apr 11, 2022 · Crows have longer, larger beaks than grackles, and their eyes are typically black while most grackles have bright yellow eyes. Grackles tend to have shimmery blue, violet, green, or yellow feathers on their head and neck, while crows are a shimmery but solid black.