Habitat ²

Common grackles are found in open areas with scattered trees such as agricultural and suburban areas including parks, cemeteries, fields, and orchards. Human alteration of forested habitats for agriculture has resulted in an expansion of the range of common grackles and an increase in their numbers.

Vocalization ³

Clucks; high-pitched rising screech, like a rusty hinge.

(c) 2015 National Audubon Society, Inc., 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10014, USA. All rights reserved.

Ecosystem Roles ⁴

Common grackles are a food source for several bird and small animal species. As predators, they help to control populations of insects and other prey. They also disperse plant seeds through their droppings. Brown-headed cowbirds occasionally lay their eggs in the nests of common grackles.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Joseph Pescatore, some rights reserved (CC BY-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/33573751@N04/6365132237
2. Adapted by Craftsbury Outdoor Center from a work by (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25066621
3. (c) Craftsbury Outdoor Center, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
4. Adapted by Craftsbury Outdoor Center from a work by (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25066628

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CalPhotos
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• VertNet
• Xeno-canto

Range Map

(c) 2015 National Audubon Society, Inc., 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10014, USA, all rights reserved

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