male has brown eye in Florida; long keeled tail (Florida, USA; 2007-12-31)


Boat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus major

Native Range: North America

Notes: in the USA, the east-coast counterpart of the Great-tailed Grackle that resides further to the west, sometimes hybridizing with the latter where their ranges overlap in Louisiana and Texas; strong sexual dimorphism; males display to females by fluffing themselves up, spreading their wings and tail, and issuing a throaty sound like a rattling gurgle.

male; large sturdy bill; glossy-black plumage (Florida, USA; 2007-12-31)
dorsal view; may show iridescent sheen (Florida, USA; 2007-12-31)

female; much browner than male (Florida, USA; 2007-12-31)
female; still has quite dark wings and tail (Florida, USA; 2007-12-31)

female doing the splits (Florida, USA; 2007-12-31)
dorsal view of female (Florida, USA; 2012-12-21)

dorsal view of male (Florida, USA; 2012-12-21)
male strutting (Florida, USA; 2012-12-21)