Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyIcteridae (Ictèrids)
- GenusQuiscalus (Typical Grackles)
- SpeciesQuiscalus mexicanus (Great-tailed Grackle)
The great-tailed grackle or Mexican grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) is a medium-sized, highly social passerine bird native to North and South America. A member of the family Icteridae, it is one of 10 extant species of grackle and is closely related to the boat-tailed grackle and the extinct slender-billed grackle. In the southern and southwestern United States, the grackle is sometimes referred to simply as a "blackbird" or (erroneously) a "crow" due to its glossy black plumage; however, grackles form their own unique genus that is separate from other "blackbirds", such as the red-winged and Brewer's blackbirds, despite being in the same family (Icteridae). Superficially, Brewer's blackbird is one of the most visually similar species to grackles. In some parts of Mexico, the grackle is sometimes referred to in Spanish as cuervo ("raven"; "crow"), although it is not a member of the crow genus (Corvus) nor of their family (Corvidae). Wikipedia →
80–90% of wildlife watchers report a Great-tailed Grackle sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, based on 1,257 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
Orange Oriole
Icterus auratus
Bronzed Cowbird
Molothrus aeneus
Yellow-backed Oriole
Icterus chrysater
Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius
Melodious Blackbird
Dives dives
Altamira Oriole
Icterus gularis
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Bobolink
Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Tropical Mockingbird
Mimus gilvus
Bananaquit
Coereba flaveola
Black Catbird
Melanoptila glabrirostris
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Great-tailed Grackle in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?
About 81% of wildlife watchers report a Great-tailed Grackle sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, based on 1,257 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Great-tailed Grackle in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Great-tailed Grackle in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park in our monthly data.