Quiscalus quiscula
Lawns, parking lots, and marshes in the East and Midwest. Larger than a blackbird track, about 1.5 to 2 inches.
What does a common grackle look like?
Lanky blackbird with a long tail and a pale eye. The head shines blue or purple.
What do common grackle tracks look like?
A walking print larger than a starling. The long tail and pale eye identify the bird.
- Larger than a blackbird track, about 1.5 to 2 inches
- Walks
- Long keel-shaped tail if seen
- Iridescent purple-blue head
- Pale eye
What does common grackle poop look like?
Whitewash under a tree where a flock roosts. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Lawns, parking lots, and marshes in the East and Midwest. Typical places: yard, field, wetland. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- American crow identification
- European starling identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
How do you tell a grackle from a crow?
A grackle is smaller, has a long keel-shaped tail, and a pale eye. Crows are larger and all black, including the eye.
How to tell a common grackle from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- American crow. A walking line of perching prints, smaller and less heavy than a raven. All black, smaller than a raven, with a fan-shaped tail and a thinner bill.
- European starling. A small walking print. Short-tailed, dark, with a yellow bill in summer and white spots in winter.
Common grackle field marks
- Larger than a blackbird track, about 1.5 to 2 inches
- Walks
- Long keel-shaped tail if seen
- Iridescent purple-blue head
Where the sign shows up
Lawns, parking lots, and marshes in the East and Midwest. Typical places: yard, field, wetland. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
A walking print larger than a starling. The long tail and pale eye identify the bird. Whitewash under a tree where a flock roosts.
Common questions
How do you tell a grackle from a crow?
A grackle is smaller, has a long keel-shaped tail, and a pale eye. Crows are larger and all black, including the eye.