General Description: Boat-tailed Grackles (Quiscalus major) are large songbirds often seen in noisy flocks. Males are all glossy blue-black and have extremely long, V-shaped tails. Females are tan-brown overall with black (darker) wings and tail. The tail is not overly exaggerated. In all cases, the eyes are dull yellow or dark, but not black. The bill is long and heavy.

In the West, we have Great-tailed Grackles that look and act like Boat-tailed Grackles. Note, however, that our grackles have a fancy yellow eye.

Taxonomy: Passeriformes, Icteridae.

Favored Habitat: Coastal salt marshes. In Florida, also occurs inland in wet areas.

Where to Find: Don't look for Boat-tailed Grackles around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them on trips to the U.S. East and Gulf coasts.

Comments: In flight, males can fold the sides of their tail upward to form a boat-like keel. Sometimes it looks like the tail is turned sideways.