Bird · GBIF taxon 2484133
Boat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus majorAlso known as Jackdaw
Boat-tailed grackles are conspicuous blackbirds of coastal salt marshes, beaches, and urban waterfronts across the southeastern United States. Males display glossy iridescent black plumage and enormous keel-shaped tails, while females are significantly smaller and warm brown overall. They gather in loud, boisterous flocks, producing an extraordinary repertoire of harsh clacks, whistles, and squeaks.
CoastalVocalDimorphic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Fiddler Crabs
- Small Fish
- Insects
Predators
- Northern Harrier
- Raccoon
- Snapping Turtle
ThreatsCoastal wetland development, sea level rise, and pesticide pollution
HabitatsCoastal salt marshes, estuaries, beaches, parks, and coastal urban waterfronts
Life span10-12 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyIcteridae
- GenusQuiscalus
- SpeciesQuiscalus major
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Listening for Calls: Listen for loud, harsh clacks, squeaks, and whistles near coastal docks and parking lots.
- Watching Nesting Colonies: Observe communal nesting colonies high in marsh vegetation or coastal shrubs.
- Observing Sexual Dimorphism: Compare the large, iridescent black males against the smaller, rich brown females.
Frequent Companion (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Competitor Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Anthony Batista, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Anthony Batista · cc-by
Close Relative Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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