Painted

1915

Published

1931

Volume

8

Plate

511

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Purple Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula quiscula

DESCRIPTION

Resemblance to the Crows does not cease with plumage. GRACKLES are cautious, self-sufficient and omnivorous. They learn boundaries wherein safety lies and within such areas are tame as sparrows.

When they return in early Spring and give the "rusty hinge" chorus from evergreen tops, the notes have an appeal quite in keeping with the March day.

The trim, iridescent bodies walking on green lawns are an effective color note. Forbush believes their habit of throwing tail feathers into V shape is a courtship act and he is probably right for this curious trick is not often done after the nesting season.

The list of black marks against these birds is extensive. They destroy many eggs, young and sometimes even full-grown small birds.

Even Orioles are not safe and I have seen them sit motionless in an elm-top until the Baltimore mother left her home, swoop down and seize one of the young. They were only successful by stealth for Orioles always outfought a bold Grackle.

They catch a few small fish by patiently waiting until one comes within range of their sharp bills. Frogs are tidbits not overlooked.

BREEDING

NEST: a loose structure of twigs, leaves and grass usually located in apex of conifers.

EGGS: 4-6; pale green to gray brown, heavily streaked or blotched with brown and black.

RANGE

Atlantic coast of United States from Hudson River Valley south to the Carolinas. West to Alleghenies.

purple-grackle
horned-lark
Horned Lark
474
pallid-horned-lark-prairie-horned-lark
Pallid Horned Lark, Prairie Horned Lark
474a-474b
desert-horned-lark-texas-horned-lark
Desert Horned Lark, Texas Horned Lark
474c-474d
california-horned-lark-ruddy-horned-lark
California Horned Lark, Ruddy Horned Lark
474e-474f
streaked-horned-lark-scorched-horned-lark
Streaked Horned Lark, Scorched Horned Lark
474g-474h
dusky-horned-lark-sonora-horned-lark
Dusky Horned Lark, Sonora Horned Lark
474i-474j
hoyt-horned-lark
Hoyt Horned Lark
474k
montezuma-horned-lark-island-horned-lark
Montezuma Horned Lark, Island Horned Lark
474l-474m
magpie
Magpie
475
yellowbill-magpie
Yellowbill Magpie
476
blue-jay
Blue Jay
477
florida-blue-jay
Florida Blue Jay
477a
steller-jay-bluefront-jay
Steller Jay, Bluefront Jay
478-478a
longcrest-jay-blackhead-jay
Longcrest Jay, Blackhead Jay
478b-478c
queen-charlotte-jay-coast-jay
Queen Charlotte Jay, Coast Jay
478d-478e
florida-jay
Florida Jay
479
woodhouse-jay
Woodhouse Jay
480
blule-ear-jay
Blue Ear Jay
480.1
california-jay
California Jay
481
santa-cruz-jay
Santa Cruz Jay
481.1
xantus-jay-belding-jay
Xantus Jay, Belding Jay
481a-481b
arizona-jay-couch-jay
Arizona Jay, Couch Jay
482-482a
green-jay
Green Jay
483
canada-jay-rocky-mountain-jay
Canada Jay, Rocky Mountain Jay
484-484a
alaska-jay-labrador-jay
Alaska Jay, Labrador Jay
484b-484c
oregon-jay-gray-jay
Oregon Jay, Gray Jay
485a
raven
Raven
486
northern-raven
Northern Raven
486a
whiteneck-raven
Whiteneck Raven
487
crow
Crow
488
florida-crow-western-crow
Florida Crow, Western Crow
488a-488b
northwest-crow
Northwest Crow
489
fish-crow
Fish Crow
490
clark-nutcracker
Clark Nutcracker
491
pinyon-jay
Pinyon Jay
492
bobolink
Bobolink
494
cowbird
Cowbird
495
dwarf-cowbird
Dwarf Cowbird
495a
bronze-cowbird
Bronze Cowbird
496
redeye-cowbird
Redeye Cowbird
496A
yellowhead-blackbird
Yellowhead Blackbird
497
redwing-blackbird
Redwing Blackbird
498
sonora-redwing-bahama-redwing-florida-redwing
Sonora Redwing, Bahama Redwing, Florida Redwing
498a-498b-498c
thickbill-redwing-san-diego-redwing
Thickbill Redwing, San Diego Redwing
498d-498e
northwest-redwing-vera-cruz-redwing
Northwest Redwing, Vera Cruz Redwing
498f-498g
bicolor-redwing
Bicolor Redwing
499
tricolor-redwing
Tricolor Redwing
500
meadowlark
Meadowlark
501
western-meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
501.1
rio-grande-southern-meadowlark
Rio Grande Meadowlark, Southern Meadowlark
501a-501c
audubon-oriole
Audubon Oriole
503
scott-oriole
Scott Oriole
504
sennett-oriole
Sennett Oriole
505
arizona-hood-oriole
Arizona Hood Oriole
505a
orchard-oriole
Orchard Oriole
506
baltimore-oriole
Baltimore Oriole
507
bullock-oriole
Bullock Oriole
508
rusty-blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
509
brewer-blackbird
Brewer Blackbird
510
purple-grackle
Purple Grackle
511
florida-grackle-bronze-grackle
Florida Grackle, Bronze Grackle
511a-511b
boattail-grackle
Boattail Grackle
513
great-tail-grackle
Great Tail Grackle
513a