Spring male Great-tailed Grackle close up – Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1/320, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Yesterday morning I had fun taking spring male Great-tailed Grackle portraits because these males were displaying and not paying attention to me or my camera. The male grackles approached me so closely that at times I wasn’t able to focus on them at all. The male grackles were in lovely light which enhanced the iridescence of their feathers.
Displaying male Great-tailed Grackle portrait – Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1/400, ISO 320, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I enjoyed having these male Great-tailed Grackles in my viewfinder. As I took images I watched their behavior and even giggled a few times because these birds can look funny while they are displaying.
Male Great-tailed Grackle calling portrait – Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1/500, ISO 320, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This calling male Great-tailed Grackle was photographed as he exhibited the Ruff-Out behavior. While this behavior may look intimidating to the other male grackles nearby it simply made me giggle.
Male Great-tailed Grackle Bill-Up display – Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 320, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The Bill-Up or Head-Up display of some of the male Great-tailed Grackles made me giggle too. Obviously I wasn’t the intended audience of the displaying male grackles The other male grackles were.
The female Great-tailed Grackles I observed were mostly busy finding suitable materials to construct the new nests that I could see in some of the nearby trees.
In the years that I have been observing and photographing Great-tailed Grackles in Utah I have seen their populations increase. Which means I now have more opportunities to take photos of these fascinating birds than I had in the past.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Great-tailed Grackle photos plus facts and information about this species.
Great head shots of a very interesting bird. I love how the light plays off the Grackles body; the feathers are so black they almost look blue. Thanks Mia.
All that feather detail — Kudos! The grackles look like they have fur rather than feathers. Thank you for today’s dose of beauty. 🙂
Yet another beauty we do not see. Many thanks.
Wonderful photos. I first saw grackles in Nevada and Arizona. We did not have them up north in Utah. Like house sparrows they seem to do best by human habitats, I wonder if our human growth in Northern Utah has given them the habitat they do best in therefore they now reside here?