Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
Grackles practice 'anting,' rubbing ants on their feathers to use the ants' formic acid as a natural repellent against parasites.
- Scientific name
- Quiscalus quiscula
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Icteridae › Quiscalus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- urban
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, agricultural fields, suburban lawns, and city parks.
- Diet
- Omnivorous; consumes insects, seeds, grain, small fish, frogs, and human food scraps.
- Range
- North America, United States, Canada
- Size
- 28-34 cm length with a wingspan up to 46 cm
- Lifespan
- 15-20 years in the wild
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Pesticide use, habitat loss, and large-scale control programs in agricultural zones.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless but bold. Grackles may dive-bomb or screech if protecting a nest. They are safe to observe from any distance. Do not feed human scraps. If pecked, wash the skin with soap and water.
The common grackle ( Quiscalus quiscula ) is a large icterid found in large numbers through much of North America.
Photo: no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist
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