Bird Guide

Carib Grackle vs Greyish Baywing

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
Greyish Baywing (Agelaioides badius)

Greyish Baywing

Agelaioides badius

Small45 gForest

The greyish baywing is 19 cm (7 in) long. Males weigh an average of about 46 g (1.6 oz) and females average about 42 g (1.5 oz). Both sexes of both subspecies have the same plumage though A. b. bolivianus is larger than the nominate A. b. badius. Adults have a mostly grayish buffy brown head, neck, and upperparts. They have blackish lores and ear coverts and an otherwise grayish buffy brown face. Their uppertail coverts are olive-brown and their tail very dark olive-brown. Voice: The greyish baywing sings "a quiet, musical continuum of warbles and trills, often in chorus". In flight both sexes give a "clear prolonged whistle peeeooh". Its primary call has been written as a "harsh, hoarse, guttural chuck", " a squeaky chayt, chap", a "weak kik errt, kik, riiie, kik krrr, krrr and tji drrrrrrt", and "a sharp clear tuit".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Gabriele Magurno · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Fornés Sebastián Fornés · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Carib Grackle and Greyish Baywing.