Range Expansion of the Great-tailed Grackle in the 1900s

Authors

James J. Dinsmore, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Stephen J. Dinsmore, North Carolina State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Great-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus mexicanus, grackle, range expansions, population changes, blackbirds

Abstract

In 1900, the range of the Great-tailed Grackle extended north of the Mexican border only into Texas. Since then, it has expanded its range greatly. It now nests in 14 states and has strayed to an additional eight states and three Canadian provinces. Much of this expansion has occurred since 1960. Great-tails often stray far from their normal range, especially in spring. Most of these strays are single individuals. In states where they have nested, breeding birds typically reach the state a few years after the first reports of the species. Great-tailed Grackles do well in a variety of human altered habitats. Their range expansion in North America rivals that of the Cattle Egret both in its extent and as an example of a species thriving while living in close association with humans.

Publication Date

June 1993

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

100

Issue

2

First Page

54

Last Page

59

Copyright

© Copyright 1993 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Dinsmore, James J. and Dinsmore, Stephen J. (1993) "Range Expansion of the Great-tailed Grackle in the 1900s," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 100(2), 54-59.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol100/iss2/4