Bird Guide

Boat-tailed Grackle vs Carib Grackle

Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major)

Boat-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus major

Medium151 gWetland

The male boat-tailed grackle is 37–43 cm (15–17 in) long and weighs 165–250 g (5.8–8.8 oz). Adult males have entirely iridescent black plumage, a long dark bill, a pale yellowish or brown iris, and a long keel-shaped tail. The adult female is much smaller at 26–33 cm (10–13 in) long and a weight of 90–115 g (3.2–4.1 oz). She is also distinguished by her shorter tail and tawny-brown coloration, which covers the body apart from the darker wings and tail. The wingspan in adult birds is 39–50 cm (15–20 in). In standard measurements, this species measures 13–20 cm (5.1–7. Voice: Its song is a harsh jeeb, and it has a variety of typically grackle-like chatters and squeaks. Their call lacks of whistles and clucks typical of the great-tailed grackle.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: JeffreyGammon · CC BY 4.0
Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)

Carib Grackle

Quiscalus lugubris

Medium63 gUrban

Male Carib grackles average 26 cm (10 in) long and females about 22 cm (8.7 in). Males weigh 66 to 80 g (2.3 to 2.8 oz) and females 49 to 58 g (1.7 to 2.0 oz). Males of all subspecies have a long keel-shaped ("V") tail; females' tails are shorter and flat. Adult males of the nominate subspecies Q. l. lugubris are completely black with a violet gloss on most of the body; it is slightly less strong on the underparts. The gloss is more violet-blue on the wing coverts and greener on the flight feathers. Voice: The Carib grackle's song varies among the subspecies but is "generally a series of squeaky notes". In the Antilles its vocalization is generally "3-7 syllables with rising inflection" and also "whistles and chucks". On Martinique it makes "a descending, Molothrus-like whistle followed by a complex warble" and on Trinidad "a series of rhythmic rattles ending in metallic sound".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Nicolas Olejnik, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nicolas Olejnik · cc-by

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Boat-tailed Grackle and Carib Grackle.