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Great-tailed Grackle
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
We were having lunch at this restaurant located near an orange orchard. A flock of these great-tailed grackles landed nearby and started to feast on the fallen oranges on the ground. It was amusing to watch them use their feet to keep the oranges from rolling while they pecked away through the thick rind to get to the fruit inside.
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
A large, noisy blackbird, the Great-tailed Grackle has been expanding its range in North America throughout the last century. A bird of open country with scattered trees and water, it took advantage of urbanization and irrigation to move northward from Mexico into much of western United States.
Cool Facts
Three different subspecies of Great-tailed Grackles have expanded into the United States from three separate areas of Mexico.
The Great-tailed and Boat-tailed grackles have at times been considered the same species. Current thinking is that they are closely related, but different species.
As it expands its range northward the Great-tailed Grackle tends to migrate out of the most northern areas. It quickly becomes a resident and stays through the winter.
Great-tailed Grackles roost together in large numbers outside of the breeding season. In Central America these large, noisy roosts frequently are found in the central plaza of small towns.
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Argus, Miss_Piggy, uleko has marked this note useful
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Hallo Manyee
I wish I had more time.
How lovely does the black feathers of this Great-tailed Grackle display against the green grass as background. The colour of the eye is very catchy.
Kind regards and thanks for sharing.
Anna
- uleko
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310]](https://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(10940) - [2010-02-05 5:45]
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Hello Manyee,
This is a lovely and well-timed action photo showing the Grackle having a crack at the orange! Lovely details and colours and well composed.
TFS and regards, Ulla
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2285 W: 5 N: 5300]](https://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(18714)