The
great-tailed grackle is Santee’s bird of the month for June.
We found this
male foraging for food at the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve.
These fascinating
birds have bright yellow eyes and tails that are nearly as long as their body. They are somewhat
comical as they strut around in a princely manner.
National
Geographic’s website says there are three subspecies of western great-tailed
grackles in North America. The one typically found here in Southern California is
the nelsoni subspecies.Grackles are increasing their range and population because they are not as susceptible to habitat loss as other birds. They can adapt and thrive in land that is farmed and in urban areas with roads and shopping centers.
