Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

A very common summer resident, often found in residential areas, the Common Grackle can often be heard singing its harsh, grating song from treetops and roofs.  They often nest in small colonies, and can form huge mixed flocks with other blackbirds in the fall and winter.  They are the smallest of the three Grackle species found in the U.S.  The larger Great-tailed Grackle is found in the Great Plains and the southwestern U.S. and has recently expanded their range into South Dakota, while the larger Boat-tailed Grackle is found near the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and is not found in South Dakota.

Habitat: Farmland, towns, woodlands, marshes, shelterbelts.  Prefers dense tree cover next to open spaces for nesting.

Diet: Omnivorous. Eats seeds, waste grain, fruits and berries, insects, crustaceans, earthworms, frogs, and small rodents.

Behavior: Does a great deal of foraging by walking along the ground.  Will also forage low in bushes, forest undergrowth, and sometimes higher in the forest canopy.  Gregarious, often foraging in large flocks outside of the breeding season.

Nesting: May through July in South Dakota.  Common Grackles typically nest in relatively small, loose colonies.  The nest is a cup of grasses, weeds and twigs, placed in the branches of a dense tree or shrub, or sometimes in a tree cavity or cavity in a man-made structure.  The female lays 4 or 5 eggs, and she alone incubates them.  Upon hatching, both parents feed the young. The young leave the nest after about 15 to 20 days.

Breeding Map: Breeding bird survey map

Song: Common Grackle Song

Migration: Winters in southeastern U.S., but may overwinter in southern parts of the state.  

Similar Species: Great-tailed Grackle, Boat-tailed Grackle, Brewer's Blackbird

Bird Feeders: Will attend feeders for various seeds, bread crumbs, and suet.

Conservation Status: Generally common and widespread, and possibly increasing in numbers. The IUCN lists the Common Grackle as a species of "Least Concern".

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Common Grackle

2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Common Grackle"

3) eNature.com: Common Grackle

Photo Information: April 9th, 2004 -- Brandon, South Dakota -- Terry Sohl

Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Common Grackle photos.