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Project Noah Nature School
Quiscalus mexicanus
is a medium-sized, gregarious passerine bird native to North and South America. A member of the Icteridae family, it is of the ten extant species of grackle and is closely related to the Red-bellied Grackle and the Velvet-fronted Grackle. It is sometimes referred to as a "blackbird", though it is not a member of the New World blackbirds, nor is it related to any of the five species of Old World blackbirds (all of which are species of the Turdus genus). Similarly, it is often called "cuervo" in areas of Mexico, although it is not a member of the Corvus genus, nor even of the Corvidae family. Males reach up to 43 cm (17 in), including a tail that is almost as long as the body, weigh 230 g, and are jet-black with a violet-blue iridescent sheen to the feathers. Females are significantly smaller at 33 cm (13 in), weigh 125 g, and are mainly brownish-black, with a pale brown throat and belly. This morphological difference between males and females of a species is known as sexual dimorphism. Female: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/738... Fledgling: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/738...
All over in suburban and urban areas of the Yucatan peninsule.
Many thanks, Mick! Now I can confirm the other two spottings are female and flegdling. I will add their ID too :-)
Spotted on Sep 14, 2011
Submitted on Sep 30, 2011
+1
