tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post1720319827245637926..comments2024-03-23T17:29:21.173-04:00Comments on Bill of the Birds on Blogspot: Weird White-tailed GrackleBill of the Birdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16000245161006147448noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-39797079299506354772020-08-01T19:09:45.919-04:002020-08-01T19:09:45.919-04:00I just spent a long time trying to figure out what...I just spent a long time trying to figure out what the bird was that we saw. Definitely looked like a grackle, but had a white tail! I'm so glad I found your post! Thank you! (Oconomowoc, WI)<br /> Judyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15577127886004132867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-82902979843259838002020-06-06T13:43:05.566-04:002020-06-06T13:43:05.566-04:00Happy to see these posts. I have a white tailed Gr...Happy to see these posts. I have a white tailed Grackle here in Glen Ridge NJ, also sports a distinctive white collar or neck ring. Quite exotic looking. He does favor the spilled corn from my feeder. Flew too fast for a photo.Holly Covellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05825878770306596130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-84501177490667610372018-04-15T16:46:41.904-04:002018-04-15T16:46:41.904-04:00Greetings! I am on the phone with my mom and she i...Greetings! I am on the phone with my mom and she is reporting a fully white-tailed "Blackbird" because he hangs out with the blackbirds... <br />I think this may be a mutation of the grackle you have posted here. <br /><br />He had only one white tail feather last year, this year it is the entire tail! <br /><br />Awesome!Bobby Vaughn Jr.http://acalltoactions.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-83168217238637340292018-01-24T23:30:06.188-05:002018-01-24T23:30:06.188-05:00I think I found the answer to my query above. It ...I think I found the answer to my query above. It must have been a leusistic grackle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-66121217847441852442018-01-24T13:34:20.845-05:002018-01-24T13:34:20.845-05:00I just saw a very, very pale silvery (like dirty w...I just saw a very, very pale silvery (like dirty white) bird in a flock of grackles, and it was feeding with them on the ground in my yard. It landed with them, and took off with them. <br /> There were no distinct markings, maybe a little bit of a very soft clay-color, like soft brown under the beak area on the neck and a little into the sides of the neck. No distinct markings anywhere else. I was thinking it was an albino grackle maybe? Is that possible? I can't find anything by Googling that comes up with such a pale silvery (almost white) bird. I didn't have my binoculars to get a closer look, but from a distance I didn't think the bird had those distinctive grackle eyes, unless they were muted as well. Any thoughts?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-1060660639926482422017-06-24T16:27:04.323-04:002017-06-24T16:27:04.323-04:00just now, june 24, 2017 we have a grackle with whi...just now, june 24, 2017 we have a grackle with white on its tail and a few white spots on wing and sides. I saw it fly by a while ago but thought i must be mistaken. It seems to be a juvenile and is being fed by an adult. I tried to take a photo and failed so far but maybe it will be back. We are in New Paltz, NY.tom roccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14319935177008377773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-8806832487393562782015-09-22T12:09:48.268-04:002015-09-22T12:09:48.268-04:00I have seen a grackle around our feeder the last f...I have seen a grackle around our feeder the last few days - he has white patches on his head.... it sure is different.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-49043589043552405672015-05-18T14:53:28.699-04:002015-05-18T14:53:28.699-04:00. A Grackle with a totally white tail appeared in .... A Grackle with a totally white tail appeared in our yard today along with some ordinary friends. (Hudson, OH). He looked very majestic. Thank you for your post and explanationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-71126739305098784192015-04-23T20:51:41.538-04:002015-04-23T20:51:41.538-04:00Hi! I came across your post after seeing a Common...Hi! I came across your post after seeing a Common Grackle with a partially white tail today. I've never seen one like that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-2170549878551075042015-04-11T10:59:11.384-04:002015-04-11T10:59:11.384-04:00A white tailed grackle with a white delta shaped s...A white tailed grackle with a white delta shaped spot on the back of his/her neck visited twice yesterday 4/10/15 with a number of other grackles. Norwalk, CT.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-47792213940787574892014-06-16T07:39:34.597-04:002014-06-16T07:39:34.597-04:00I had to look up the white tailed grackle. I have ...I had to look up the white tailed grackle. I have spotted two babies the last week. The parents have had normal dark tails. Very unusual. These birds were spotted in Huron, SD.Exotic Petshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14072601157471202387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-29760114117298346922014-05-13T21:25:06.203-04:002014-05-13T21:25:06.203-04:00Spotted a white tailed grackle in my yard in Stoug...Spotted a white tailed grackle in my yard in Stoughton WI today. He was in the company of other grackles.Kathynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-12470188358830694012013-03-28T15:31:28.158-04:002013-03-28T15:31:28.158-04:00I spotted one here today, near the geographic cent...I spotted one here today, near the geographic center of Long Island, NY. He was hanging around with the other grackles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-69763467275908363612013-03-14T20:20:30.734-04:002013-03-14T20:20:30.734-04:00Have had a white tailed grackle at our birdfeeder ...Have had a white tailed grackle at our birdfeeder in Fayetteville, NC for the last two days. We call him "Skunk". The white tail with the black and purple makes a beautiful bird.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-73557737993854092342012-06-04T09:52:52.534-04:002012-06-04T09:52:52.534-04:00We have a white tailed grackle here in Bromont, QC...We have a white tailed grackle here in Bromont, QC. It's quite a noticeable deep vee. He/she seems to hang around with others, and this is the second year we've seen him/her.<br />Ian BrownIan Brownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-52585188535418488602012-05-02T18:33:53.198-04:002012-05-02T18:33:53.198-04:00I live in Fairview Heights, IL. We have a white c...I live in Fairview Heights, IL. We have a white capped (top of head) grackle on our feeders this past week. We also saw "Him" last fall. He seems to be a loner from the other grackles. Hoping to get a picture.Joannnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-81634206574503220302012-04-04T20:45:30.477-04:002012-04-04T20:45:30.477-04:00Just saw a white tailed grackle in our backyard ne...Just saw a white tailed grackle in our backyard near Mpls Minnesota. Did't know what it was so I googled "white tail grackle." I think it's odd that the white tail seems to be a common "leucistic" feature in the grackels. Maybe I'll google white winged grackle ...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-51665656949483298832012-03-01T15:38:27.250-05:002012-03-01T15:38:27.250-05:00Just had the identical bird at my feeder in Arling...Just had the identical bird at my feeder in Arlington, VA. Could not id him until I found your site. Wow, he/she was beautiful. I got several pictures.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-91397356233286076322011-07-01T19:07:38.034-04:002011-07-01T19:07:38.034-04:00We have a grackle with some white feathers at the ...We have a grackle with some white feathers at the rump, and in the tail, at our feeder here in south Edison, NJ, right now. From what I've just read online, this is a 'leucistic,' or partially albino, bird.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-3636473445809137672011-05-14T18:35:55.323-04:002011-05-14T18:35:55.323-04:00We have one of these weird grackles feeding at our...We have one of these weird grackles feeding at our house now. He has been here a few days! We named him 'Silver Back'. (We name alot of our birds!)sue annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13353755934414889527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-32425609252283520922011-04-11T19:09:21.206-04:002011-04-11T19:09:21.206-04:00I live in Waterloo, Iowa and have had a white tail...I live in Waterloo, Iowa and have had a white tailed grackle visiting my backyard for about two weeks. How common is this bird to to region?Bob Westonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-55393139520379915892010-10-15T16:41:05.403-04:002010-10-15T16:41:05.403-04:00In a trip to Tortuguero NP here in Costa Rica, I s...In a trip to Tortuguero NP here in Costa Rica, I saw a clay-colored robin (<i>Turdus Grayi</i>) with white patches in it's wing feathers. These kind of things are quite exciting, aren't they?C.H.G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05018982178154217891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-52139793590225569502010-07-31T16:06:54.397-04:002010-07-31T16:06:54.397-04:00Correction, "most season" should have re...Correction, "most season" should have read as "<b>molt</b> season"rmharveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17819502327298247865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-10538296966885355342010-07-29T22:37:07.419-04:002010-07-29T22:37:07.419-04:00I heard once that single white feathers are usuall...I heard once that single white feathers are usually replacements grown out of the usual most season. I don't know if it is true, but it would make sense that the same thing could happen with an entire tail. Tails can be pretty vulnerable - the last thing in reach of an enemy during an escape.rmharveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17819502327298247865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2552045987668023231.post-84380936949029686872010-07-29T22:07:52.729-04:002010-07-29T22:07:52.729-04:00Neat grackle! I've always thought color abnorm...Neat grackle! I've always thought color abnormalities in animals are really fascinating. Once in the shopping center where I used to work I saw a house sparrow with a white middle tail feather; one of his wing feathers--I guess one of the secondaries?--on each side was white as well. I was struck by the symmetry of it, which made me think it might've been genetic rather than the result of a close call with a predator, for example. <br /><br />When I signed up for FeederWatch this past year I remember reading about "anomalous" birds on their website. Here's the article: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/OtherStrangeBirds.htm I wonder if birds with color variations are more inclined to come to feeders because they make for an easy meal, or whether it's simply that people who feed birds are more likely to notice the differences (since they're closely scrutinizing their visitors anyway)? <br /><br />It's definitely fun to watch for the little differences between feeder visitors. We used to get a chickadee with some sort of eye deformity that I always, well, kept an eye out for. And as of last week we now have nine banded yardbirds which of course makes them instantly recognizable; I love trying to pick them out from the lineup!CNemeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14647835899067367137noreply@blogger.com