Coming Soon: Great-tailed Grackle Breeding Season

On two of my most recent walks I have seen Great-tailed Grackles. Seeing them reminded me that Great-tailed Grackle breeding season is coming soon.

Male Great-tailed Grackle solo display – Nikon D500, f14, 1/200, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Before the Great-tailed Grackle breeding season the males will begin to display territorial behaviors. The territorial displays of males can be comical even when it is an individual bird. I believe this male I photographed in mid March of last year was exhibiting the Ruff-Out and Head-Up behavior simultaneously. The male grackle walked strange, looked funny, and I had a hard time controlling my laughter.

Male Great-tailed Grackle duo displaying – Nikon D500, f14, 1/160, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

When there is more than one male Great-tailed Grackle displaying territorial behavior it can be even more humorous. They can also fight during these displays. I photographed some fights last year but I didn’t have the shutter speed I needed to capture sharp images of those interactions.

These displays are important for mate selection.

Even so, I can’t help myself, I giggle a lot when I am photographing Great-tailed Grackles during these displays.

Male Great-tailed Grackle after a bath – Nikon D500, f9, 1/640, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Great-tailed Grackles also look comical while they are bathing and after their baths. This wet, scruffy-looking male walked past me last March right after it bathed. Yes, I laughed out loud.

Note:

I probably should warn my neighbors that I will be laughing often while I preview images I take of this species this breeding season. By the time that happens the weather might be warmer and I may have my living room windows open because I love fresh, spring air. The sound of laughter carries.

Male Great-tailed Grackle preening a tail feather – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Male Great-tailed Grackles can even look amusing when they preen, especially when they grab their long tail feathers.

The songs and calls of Great-tailed Grackles during territorial displays can sound a little wacky too. I actually like their songs and calls.

Female Great-tailed Grackle looking intensely at something – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/400, ISO 320, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Female Great-tailed Grackles don’t display much but they do observe the males on occasion. The females can look pretty intense. They don’t make me laugh as much as the males do. The serious look of this female did though.

The Great-tailed Grackle breeding season is just around the corner now and I can barely wait for it to arrive!

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Great-tailed Grackle photos plus facts and information about this species.