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 →
50–60% of wildlife watchers report a Great-tailed Grackle sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 537 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Altamira Oriole
Icterus gularis
Melodious Blackbird
Dives dives
Orange Oriole
Icterus auratus
Bronzed Cowbird
Molothrus aeneus
Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius
Bobolink
Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Yellow-tailed Oriole
Icterus mesomelas
Yellow-backed Oriole
Icterus chrysater
Yellow-billed Cacique
Amblycercus holosericeus
Black-cowled Oriole
Icterus prosthemelas
📅 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 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?
About 56% of wildlife watchers report a Great-tailed Grackle sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 537 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Great-tailed Grackle in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?
March has the highest sighting rate for Great-tailed Grackle in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.