Animals of Texas | The Great-Tailed Grackle

This month's video begins my "Animals of Texas" series! First on my list is the Great-tailed Grackle - a fascinating blackbird that is extremely common where I live. If you enjoy my work, please subscribe! Thanks!
SOURCES:
Jeffrey M. DaCosta, Walter Wehtje, John Klicka, Historic Genetic Structuring and Paraphyly Within the Great-Tailed Grackle, The Condor, Volume 110, Issue 1, 1 February 2008, Pages 170-177, doi.org/10.1525/cond.2008.110...
Alexis F. L A. Powell, F. Keith Barker, Scott M. Lanyon, A Complete Species-Level Phylogeny of the Grackles (Quiscalus spp.), Including the Extinct Slender-Billed Grackle, Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA, The Condor, Volume 110, Issue 4, 1 November 2008, Pages 718-728, doi.org/10.1525/cond.2008.8633
Carlos Daniel Cadena, Andrés M. Cuervo, Scott M. Lanyon, Phylogenetic Relationships of the Red-Bellied Grackle (Icteridae: Hypopyrrhus Pyrohypogaster) Inferred From Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data, The Condor, Volume 106, Issue 3, 1 August 2004, Pages 664-670, doi.org/10.1093/condor/106.3.664
Selander, R., & Giller, D. (1961). Analysis of Sympatry of Great-Tailed and Boat-Tailed Grackles. The Condor, 63(1), 29-86. doi:10.2307/1365420
Kevin P. Johnson, Scott M. Lanyon, Molecular Systematics of the Grackles and Allies, and the Effect of Additional Sequence (CYT B and ND2), The Auk, Volume 116, Issue 3, 1 July 1999, Pages 759-768, doi.org/10.2307/4089336
Scott M. Lanyon, Kevin E. Omland, A Molecular Phylogeny of the Blackbirds (Icteridae): Five Lineages Revealed by Cytochrome-B Sequence Data, The Auk, Volume 116, Issue 3, 1 July 1999, Pages 629-639, doi.org/10.2307/4089324
Paul D. Haemig, Introduction of the Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) by Aztec Emperor Auitzotl: Provenance of the Historical Account, The Auk, Volume 129, Issue 1, 1 January 2012, Pages 70-75, doi.org/10.1525/auk.2011.11058
Logan CJ. 2016. Behavioral flexibility and problem solving in an invasive bird. PeerJ 4:e1975 doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1975
Grabrucker, Stefanie & Grabrucker, Andreas. (2010). Rare Feeding Behavior of Great-Tailed Grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus) in the Extreme Habitat of Death Valley The Open Ornithology Journal. 3. 101-104. 10.2174/1874453201003010101.
Kristine Johnson, Emily DuVal, Megan Kielt, Colin Hughes, Male mating strategies and the mating system of great-tailed grackles, Behavioral Ecology, Volume 11, Issue 2, March 2000, Pages 132-141, doi.org/10.1093/beheco/11.2.132
Wehtje, W. (2003). The range expansion of the great‐tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus Gmelin) in North America since 1880. Journal of Biogeography, 30(10), 1593-1607.
Haemig, P. (1978). Aztec Emperor Auitzotl and the Great-Tailed Grackle. Biotropica, 10(1), 11-17. doi:10.2307/2388099
Paul D. Haemig. Ecology and Ethnobiology of the Slender-billed Grackle. Journal für Ornithologie = Journal of Ornithology, Springer Verlag, 2009, 151 (2), pp.391-399. ff10.1007/s10336-009-0467-2ff. ffhal-00568358f

Пікірлер: 126

  • @adrianlujan4116
    @adrianlujan4116 Жыл бұрын

    These are my favorite birds. I could watch them for hours. They are so funny

  • @WaffleusRex

    @WaffleusRex

    2 ай бұрын

    We have a decent number of grackles in my part of California too. I am quite fond of them as well.

  • @michelleirby7587
    @michelleirby7587 Жыл бұрын

    Nice video I thought I was the only person on the planet who liked this shiny vocally, talented bird

  • @michelleirby7587

    @michelleirby7587

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey, I just went back to your channel to see if you had made some more videos and I realize there aren’t any. You should post some more animals. You did a great job with your first video.

  • @anastasiad.6964
    @anastasiad.69642 жыл бұрын

    I can't hear a grackle call in a parking lot and not smile! They just sound happy!

  • @bnkwupt
    @bnkwupt Жыл бұрын

    I’m road tripping through Texas right now. I’ve found these birds to be incredibly fascinating, so thanks for the video explaining their history.

  • @Dezbood
    @Dezbood Жыл бұрын

    This might have been your only video, but it was a good one. Love these birds.

  • @claireburr3718
    @claireburr371810 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for this! We really appreciate your effort and the good knowledge you put here!

  • @RaYBaSHKatan
    @RaYBaSHKatan3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I now live in Canada and just recently fell in love with the Grackle; its intense yellow eyes and iridescent plumage as well as its diverse vocalizations. I just found out that back in the middle ages the grackle was named the Jesus bird because at times they look skyward and puff their feathers and the people at the time said the bird was looking for Jesus and the second coming of Christ.

  • @ooulalah4333

    @ooulalah4333

    2 жыл бұрын

    Wow. People and their theories. What don't humans believe?

  • @f3uibeghardt522

    @f3uibeghardt522

    Жыл бұрын

    @@ooulalah4333 Yeah, good thing we happen to have been born in the current year, where we obviously know all things, and we don't believe all those silly, archaic wives' tails and lies. Now, we just believe anything the government and media say no matter how obvious and overt the lie is. Man, can you believe we used to believe all those wacky things? We weren't the enlightened, logical, sober-minded, fact-based empiricists back then that we are today. Can you believe those crusty, superstitious fools back then didn't even have government-enforced sex changes for children? Preposterous! How did we even survive as a species without that?

  • @birddayparties

    @birddayparties

    Жыл бұрын

    Their super sheen colors surprised me when I look at my bird cam footage! Thanks for sharing!

  • @HDPersonal777

    @HDPersonal777

    Жыл бұрын

    Fell in love? They are an annoying rude nuisance! One dive bombed my head in Austin Texas and now they are in Utah too! Have fun thinking Graackles are great and pretending to eat Jesus’s flesh and drink his blood like the Bible writers tell people to do that they hate because that’s normal and wholesome too! Ha!

  • @chironOwlglass

    @chironOwlglass

    10 ай бұрын

    I love them so much. They're so fearless.

  • @incharge7955
    @incharge79552 жыл бұрын

    talk birdy to me 🐦 I love these guys, as well as crows, ravens...& many others as well

  • @RawrXDevil
    @RawrXDevil11 ай бұрын

    I grew up in south Texas and this is so nostalgic the heat hitting my body sweating from playing running or working out with these birds in the background

  • @kimchi2780
    @kimchi27802 жыл бұрын

    Living in Dallas these guys are all over the place! I love them even though they can be a pain in the butt.

  • @supaF
    @supaF3 жыл бұрын

    1. When I typed "grackle bird" into the YT search bar and found exactly what I wanted. Well informed, detailed history of one of my favorite birds. I wasn't surprised they came from Mexico, but I WAS surprised that they are tropical in origin. They're so abundant out here in Arizona (current high temp forecast of the week is 112F) I just assumed they came from the desert 2. I want a whole season of this, however I see that you are but a humble KZreadr. I saw your reply to a comment ten months ago about a video that was supposed to come out "Next Month", and rushed to the rest of your channel to find it- but alas...the only video thumbnail I see is that of a Grackle gazing through my soul. That's okay, I wish you luck in the pursuit of good content, and I'll be there next time you upload. Cheers, friend!

  • @Paleontologizing
    @Paleontologizing10 ай бұрын

    Hey there! We just watched this video live on Twitch, and I gotta say it's *phenomenal.* EXCELLENT work! Here's hoping that fickle KZread algorithm picks up what you're putting down, because this video has a splendid combination of scientific information, everyday connections, and personality. I wish you the best!

  • @Martika264
    @Martika264 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I just discovered this beautiful singing bird. I love it!

  • @liquidmetalface_
    @liquidmetalface_5 ай бұрын

    what a lovely video, thank you for teaching me about these birds that I have always enjoyed so much

  • @VialiSamuhagu
    @VialiSamuhagu2 жыл бұрын

    Their little rayvens. Eat scraps in the parking lot, and have a weird high pitch call. Perfect bird

  • @lonnieclemens8028
    @lonnieclemens80283 ай бұрын

    Thank you for sharing this video about the Grackle. I took a picture of a Grackle yesterday.

  • @toaojackson7447
    @toaojackson74474 ай бұрын

    Grackles and brewers are my favorite birds. So common and beautiful.

  • @paulgray7624
    @paulgray76244 жыл бұрын

    Well done. Looking forward to learning about other Animals of Texas.

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you sir! Already planning the next one.

  • @aarontremain6797

    @aarontremain6797

    2 жыл бұрын

    Bro seriously good job. This is an awesome video and well edited. Please do more

  • @sandraestrada3295

    @sandraestrada3295

    Жыл бұрын

    @@wildlifeofevan Do more!!

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    Жыл бұрын

    @@sandraestrada3295 Come back this summer! More to come ;)

  • @Draco_Alpha
    @Draco_Alpha Жыл бұрын

    last time i visited Austin, there was a rather good sized flock of these hanging around my hotel... i grew up in Maryland where the common grackle tends to be, and i fell in love with the colors, but nothing prepared me for the great-tailed grackle we saw when we went to Texas. their behavior and vocalizations are fantastic to witness.

  • @eb7713
    @eb77132 жыл бұрын

    Love this! ♥️ Grackles are fun to listen to. They remind me of childhood visits to the Houston zoo. -- We heard one once that imitated a typical car alarm. Lol!

  • @kevinchrisman119
    @kevinchrisman1192 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the super informative video! Loved the incorporation of Mexican history as well. Looking forward to seeing more content.

  • @iamblackthorne
    @iamblackthorneАй бұрын

    My favorite bird! Thank you!

  • @queenbeez
    @queenbeez2 жыл бұрын

    Lots of them at Boca Chica, tx aka Starbase. Love watching them on livestreaming cams at SpaceX

  • @birddayparties
    @birddayparties Жыл бұрын

    Awesome video! Grackes recently visited my bird cam and they have so much character!👍👍

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    Жыл бұрын

    You have a bird cam? That’s awesome!

  • @asontehunsthanshhl
    @asontehunsthanshhl3 жыл бұрын

    Best grackle content on youtube

  • @caustic1611
    @caustic16113 жыл бұрын

    I had never heard of the grackle until today. This video is super informative and very well done!

  • @MAGAMAN

    @MAGAMAN

    2 жыл бұрын

    Move to Texas and you will see them EVERYWHERE.

  • @HDPersonal777

    @HDPersonal777

    Жыл бұрын

    @@MAGAMANthey are everywhere now not just Texas! They are in Utah and Idaho now too! Like the Asian stink bugs brought to the US in 2012 I think this was done on purpose for our demise!

  • @coinwater8511
    @coinwater85113 жыл бұрын

    I love great tail grackles

  • @bunnywaffles1190
    @bunnywaffles11902 ай бұрын

    Long before I knew what they were called, I knew exactly what they sounded like. Growing up in Houston those suckers are everywhere. Especially when we would go to the zoo as a kid, there are flocks that hang out there and just call/sing all the dang time.

  • @lkevinc42036
    @lkevinc420362 жыл бұрын

    Loved the detail in this video! Please make more!

  • @jpalberthoward9
    @jpalberthoward9 Жыл бұрын

    Back when Billy Gibbons commissioned the Cadzilla car, did he tell Boyd Coddington "Paint it so it looks like a Grackle in the winter?" Grackles' colors during the cold months are nothing short of spectacular. They have the same "flip flop" effect as the paint on the '48 Caddy ZZ TOP car.

  • @gastonmannlicher8077
    @gastonmannlicher80773 жыл бұрын

    This what I love to find on KZread. Great job from a San Antonian.

  • @McbrideStudios
    @McbrideStudios3 ай бұрын

    Wonderfully informative.

  • @gabrielj9776
    @gabrielj977610 ай бұрын

    I love these birds! ❤🤗

  • @quantumblauthor7300
    @quantumblauthor73008 ай бұрын

    "squa-GEEK!" _gickles, probably_

  • @WHAC420
    @WHAC42011 ай бұрын

    great information and editing here. fun vid!!!

  • @John_Smith_Dumfugg
    @John_Smith_Dumfugg2 жыл бұрын

    Great video, hope you make more!

  • @bitbandit1678
    @bitbandit16783 жыл бұрын

    I love grackles!

  • @mcschneiveoutdoors3681
    @mcschneiveoutdoors3681 Жыл бұрын

    Late to the game...but this is a great video. Awesome job!

  • @staghornthedruid957
    @staghornthedruid957Ай бұрын

    you're funny. instant sub. i never knew the history of this magnificent bird.

  • @MK116Alex
    @MK116Alex Жыл бұрын

    I remember as a kid living in the Rio grande their tails were very long. They would be so long they would droop. That was almost 50 years ago.

  • @bobowrathsovine.
    @bobowrathsovine. Жыл бұрын

    I was in Austin 2003-05 and only ever saw these birds there. That sound they make oi oi is what stands out to me about them

  • @Jst12341
    @Jst123412 жыл бұрын

    This is a great channel. Very interesting video.

  • @lou-cidmire3065
    @lou-cidmire3065 Жыл бұрын

    Nice! Love learning stuff about the locals. 😄

  • @CharismaticPlanet3822
    @CharismaticPlanet3822 Жыл бұрын

    Nature is so beautiful. It has many things to offer. You made a wonderful video. Awesome and Great content Friend.

  • @sponge_drip5745
    @sponge_drip574510 ай бұрын

    They sound beautiful

  • @gsftom
    @gsftom5 ай бұрын

    If u see a black bird in a whataburger, Wendys or grocery store parking lot, it is a grackle 🙂. Before I knew their real name, I called them french fry birds.

  • @Cillana
    @Cillana2 жыл бұрын

    Great video! I hope you come back with another video someday.

  • @xavierolvera7243
    @xavierolvera7243 Жыл бұрын

    Love this bird

  • @LuxwingGo
    @LuxwingGo2 жыл бұрын

    Loved this video now I'm bummed because this is the only video on the channel 😭

  • @user-pe9gz8si8k
    @user-pe9gz8si8k Жыл бұрын

    These are very pretty birds.

  • @chironOwlglass
    @chironOwlglass10 ай бұрын

    City grackles absolutely get a large portion of their food from insects on automobiles. I have severe allergies and have to live in my car. I watch my graks in the park all day 😂

  • @chironOwlglass

    @chironOwlglass

    10 ай бұрын

    The males seem to tear off tail feathers of rivals. Generally the bigger a male grak is, the more numerous his tail feathers are. Males that have just reached adulthood often have all of their tail feathers removed, with medium sized males having 1-3 tail feathers and the largest males having the truly enormous tails people usually think of

  • @SatyrosJayIronHorse
    @SatyrosJayIronHorse3 жыл бұрын

    Super!

  • @johnmcevoy3598
    @johnmcevoy35983 ай бұрын

    Great singers, snappy dressers. Very entertaining.

  • @Kenny-ud3vc
    @Kenny-ud3vc3 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video! The humble Grackle deserves more respect.

  • @illumify99
    @illumify996 ай бұрын

    I heard a grackle making the funniest noise one time

  • @GustafUNL
    @GustafUNL2 ай бұрын

    I love Grackles

  • @thea.m.p.co.467
    @thea.m.p.co.4679 ай бұрын

    How do you only have 311 subscribers? Your content is great!

  • @WHAC420
    @WHAC42011 ай бұрын

    my fave birds

  • @simmonsgamingandadventures2110
    @simmonsgamingandadventures21104 жыл бұрын

    Dis is good I want more

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! I'm currently doing the research for my next video, which will come out next month. In the mean time, check out my twitter page, where I'll be posting more frequent wildlife footage that I shot. twitter.com/DubbleOhEvan

  • @harukatakahashi8822
    @harukatakahashi88223 жыл бұрын

    I love this video, the males sound like a radio, alot of them love or like McDonalds French fries & our doggies I guess. They're growing by numbers, it's safer for them to lived in the cities, and in packs in nights, I think they're some in alaska? I still have a color printed picture of the Male great tailed grackle since high school, and I'm 29, turning 30 this March 19 :3 hehe

  • @samwatson8079
    @samwatson8079 Жыл бұрын

    Evan! Get your paws off the brim of that hat!! Put it on by the crown! :) Great video

  • @MrDavidknigge
    @MrDavidknigge Жыл бұрын

    It is sad that you never made another like this. 😢

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    Жыл бұрын

    Almost finished with my script for the next video! It will come out in early June!

  • @MrDavidknigge

    @MrDavidknigge

    Жыл бұрын

    @@wildlifeofevan You are wonderfully talented. I look forward to it.

  • @ryanmilton2643
    @ryanmilton26432 жыл бұрын

    They are everywhere

  • @aaaaZa100
    @aaaaZa100 Жыл бұрын

    Starts a KZread channel Uploads one video about birds Refuses to elaborate Leaves

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    Жыл бұрын

    I’m gonna be putting out another one this summer!

  • @aaaaZa100

    @aaaaZa100

    Жыл бұрын

    @@wildlifeofevan sick I’m from dfw and I dig the wildlife

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    Жыл бұрын

    @@aaaaZa100 Dope, is that infamous iron man I see on your profile?

  • @aaaaZa100

    @aaaaZa100

    Жыл бұрын

    @@wildlifeofevan very same lol

  • @MrEmivideo
    @MrEmivideo2 жыл бұрын

    Those are super common in Belize where I am from. I was in Houston last year and was surprised to see them there and just as annoying. Just that the ones here in Belize look much healthier. The ones there seems like they were having a much harder life.

  • @jocelynflinchum2707
    @jocelynflinchum27072 жыл бұрын

    I LOVE grackles!! I have one rn. A 3 month old female. Shes not smart lol n an asshole. I love it video!!

  • @itachi112059
    @itachi1120592 жыл бұрын

    This is all very interesting however I have one question... Does Becky like blue?

  • @ooulalah4333
    @ooulalah43332 жыл бұрын

    Gotta love missionaries!

  • @breanntheartist1989
    @breanntheartist19894 ай бұрын

    Grackles always look pissed off!😅

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    That’s because they ARE

  • @jakesmerth1919
    @jakesmerth19195 ай бұрын

    Life, uh, uh, finds a way...

  • @GODWITHUS0712
    @GODWITHUS07122 жыл бұрын

    We got them in California as well

  • @gregorysagegreene
    @gregorysagegreene11 ай бұрын

    The buuuuurd is the word.

  • @hope2029
    @hope20292 жыл бұрын

    Evan I have a grackle question--- do you have answers?

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 жыл бұрын

    What's your question, caller?

  • @hope2029

    @hope2029

    2 жыл бұрын

    What is a safe way to keep them from yapping everytime I come out doors? I have lots of trees they may have babies.

  • @kingrobs89
    @kingrobs893 ай бұрын

    The migration they do in San Antonio Texas, end of the year they go south in packs of hundreds, why are they always in walmart parking lots lol

  • @puppiesarepower3682
    @puppiesarepower36822 ай бұрын

    I love these guys. Smart motherf*ck*rs.

  • @kinzieconrad105
    @kinzieconrad1052 ай бұрын

    But what do they taste like?

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    I definitely explore that in the sequel

  • @radiophodity
    @radiophodity11 ай бұрын

    4:59

  • @VivaLaVerde512
    @VivaLaVerde5122 жыл бұрын

    💚🖤🇳🇫

  • @feelzyfeelz
    @feelzyfeelz2 жыл бұрын

    SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLED

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    I thought they were crows when I was a kid haha

  • @Wardirt
    @Wardirt Жыл бұрын

    Good thing your only video was great.

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    I made a second one, and it’s even better in my opinion!

  • @davidjuarez1834
    @davidjuarez18342 жыл бұрын

    I thought it was a Mexican Grackle

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    Quiscalus mexicanus

  • @HDPersonal777
    @HDPersonal777 Жыл бұрын

    Million years my ass! More like the whole Tartarian old world was destroyed in the 1800’s!

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    Da fuq dog?

  • @HDPersonal777

    @HDPersonal777

    2 ай бұрын

    @@wildlifeofevan You have proven my point. It’s Idiocracy now.

  • @Ygdkli
    @Ygdkli2 ай бұрын

    This isn't a Texas bird. That is like calling a Common Grackle a Minnesota bird.

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    Well if I lived in Minnesota, I would’ve made a video called “Animals of Minnesota: The Common Grackle”. tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_w7000_1673a.pdf

  • @sabrecatsmiladon7380
    @sabrecatsmiladon73803 жыл бұрын

    SOMEONE......needs to find a way to cook these and make'em taste good!!! That will solve the issue in 5 years or so

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    Who said they were an issue? Lol

  • @JakeTardcum
    @JakeTardcum3 жыл бұрын

    "Cities more magnificent than anything in europe" lol no sorry

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    Testy

  • @josephjohnson1294
    @josephjohnson12943 жыл бұрын

    I GAVE YOU the FIRST, "DISLIKE", THUMBS DOWN. Because I Hate This Bird. But, Good Video. very informative. But I Hate That Bird..

  • @jamespontius5711

    @jamespontius5711

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm sure they hate you too.

  • @rustyshackleford528
    @rustyshackleford5282 жыл бұрын

    Less of your face.

  • @wildlifeofevan

    @wildlifeofevan

    2 ай бұрын

    No