Hello All,

FYI, this is a winded post...LOL

We've had several flocks of Common Grackles migrating through like usual at this time. All of them have been mature males with the exception of 2 females. Along with them would be an occassional male RWBB tagging along which is common.

We've also had a few mated Common Grackles raise their young nearby in one of our neighbor's trees. I mention all of this for a reason...

We've had a "loner" Grackle that I've been curious about lately. This male is different than the other male Common Grackles...

1) This Grackle doesn't associate itself with them. Although there would be up to 10-15 males at any time at the feeders/backyard, this particular male would hang out by itself or with other birds. After observing for long periods of time, I went back to the pute to see what pics I had of juvie/immature Common Grackles from this past late Spring/Early Summer. I found a few pics of the family I took when they were on top of our fence.

2) In the pics of the juvie with it's mated parents, I also noticed that the tail feathers are just as long as the mature Common Grackles...even at such a young age. But, with this particular odd Grackle, that doesn't hang around it's own kind (for lack of a better way of putting it), it's tail feathers are much shorter than an adult Common Grackle.

3) Because it's tail feathers are shorter than even a juvies or a mature Common Grackle would be, I started to consider other possibilities of other Grackles...

"Rusty"...nope...the color and beak doesn't match

"Brewer's"...I'm still not sure...possible? The eyes match...maybe the liquid-like shiny coat of feathers has still yet to develop?

4) When I looked at immature male Common Grackle pics, the tails would be long and the eyes would be still brownish...

5 ) Last point I want to mention is...
If this is just a immature male Common Grackle, and it's just that it's tail feathers just haven't reached it's full length, why is the body area brownish with purplish feathers on it's wings and why wouldn't hang out with the gang?

Anyway, here are 3 pics. This one is showing a juvie (the one squalking to be fed) with it's parents. notice it's long tail feathers...


These 2 pics are of the "odd" Grackle...Whatdoyouthink?




Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Even though the bill seems a bit big for a Brewer's Blackbird the head seems too rounded for a grackle and as you say the tail is very short. I would say it is a Brewer's.

Hello Ward,

Well, the answer is an immature male Common Grackle that is molting. He said the bill was too large for it to be a Brewer's...oh well. I sent all the info and pics to ebird and an expert ID'd it for me. And the reason why it probably didn't hang out with all the other mature males is because it's not at the stage in it's life when it can "compete" yet. That's my guess...that this little guy is just laying low right now...smart cookie!

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5