{"id":2024,"date":"2019-06-09T12:32:14","date_gmt":"2019-06-09T12:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/?p=2024"},"modified":"2022-03-31T20:11:43","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T20:11:43","slug":"the-birds-of-black","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.megforward.com\/birds\/index.php\/2019\/06\/09\/the-birds-of-black\/","title":{"rendered":"The Birds of Black"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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These photographs represent an assortment of “blackbirds, a catch-all category for birds that look similar, but are not even related to each other. <\/p>\n\n\n

CROWS<\/span><\/strong>, the largest in size of the local black birds, are easily recognized by their loud, harsh cawing sounds. Here on the coast, there are both Fish Crow<\/strong>s (Corvus ossifragus<\/em>) and American Crows<\/strong> (Corvus brachyrhynchos<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GRACKLES<\/span><\/strong>, somewhat smaller and more streamlined than crows, are glossy black birds with bright yellow eyes and long tails. Of the two local species, the Boat-tailed Grackle<\/strong> looks similar to the Common Grackle<\/strong>, except for its extra-long tail.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Common Grackle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Common Grackle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Common Grackle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here is the Boat-tailed Grackle<\/strong> for comparison…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Boat-tailed Grackle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While the males are black, glossy, and iridescent, the females are dull, brownish and smaller in size in both species of grackle …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The EUROPEAN STARLING<\/span><\/strong> is glossy black in mating season, but is sometimes speckled with white dots , hence the name “starling.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Starlings have a yellow bill and a short tail.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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European Starling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the juvenile starling with its own look — grayish-brown in color with a dark colored bill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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COWBIRDS<\/span><\/strong> have short, thick beaks, short tails, and dark eyes. There are two species locally…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brown-headed Cowbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Male and female<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Female Brown-headed Cowbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Shiny Cowbird <\/strong>looks quite similar, but is entirely black. Although uncommon, I encountered some inside Fort Macon State Park.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shiny Cowbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

TRUE BLACKBIRDS<\/strong><\/mark>,<\/strong> such as the local Red-Winged Blackbird<\/strong>, have bills similar to cowbirds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Winter coloration of Red-Winged Blackbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Breeding Red-Winged Blackbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Red-winged Blackbird<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Juvenile Red-wing Blackbirds have their own distinct look…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Always gregarious, all of these varieties of black-colored birds hang out in small or huge flocks, chattering in whistles, clicks, shrieks and calls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I do not know which to prefer<\/em>,\nThe beauty of inflections,<\/em>\nOr the beauty of innuendos,<\/em>\nThe blackbird whistling<\/em>\nOr just after.<\/em>\n   - Wallace Stevens, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Here are some related bird posts to visit:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n