Today's featured bird is the Common Grackle. A year round Florida resident, they are one of the nine bird species that visit our backyard daily. Three species of Grackles can be found in North America; the Common, the Boat-Tailed and the Great-Tailed. The Common Grackle is the smallest and most widespread of the three.
At first glance the Common Grackle is a plain black bird with a yellow eye. However, in reality they display an assortment of iridescent colors. Both sexes have a bluish hood (head). Males have either bronze or multi-colored bodies and wings. Females have blackish-brown bodies and wings with little iridescence. Juveniles are dark brown overall with a dark eye and lack iridescence. Males are slightly larger than females.
Common Grackles are considered pests by farmers. They form large flocks causing extreme crop damage, making them the target of eradication campaigns. Even so, their numbers remain strong and they have extended their range westward, following the spread of agriculture. Despite their unpopularity, check out the spectacular colors of the Common Grackle in these photos.....tweet.....tweet!!
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| Common Grackle (All photos taken 10/24/12, Our Backyard) |
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