Greater Antillean Grackle
| Greater Antillean Grackle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Puerto Rico subspecies Known also as the "Iguana Bird" Q. n. brachypterus | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Icteridae |
| Genus: | Quiscalus |
| Species: | Q. niger |
| Binomial name | |
| Quiscalus niger (Boddaert, 1783) | |
The Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) is a grackle found throughout the Greater Antilles and the Cayman Islands as well as smaller, nearby islands. Like all Quiscalus grackles, it is a rather large, gregarious bird.[2]
Appearance
The 27 cm long male is glossy black with a large tail; the 24 cm long female has a smaller tail and is similar in colour but less glossy than the male. It lives largely in heavily settled areas. There are seven subspecies, each restricted to one island or island group. They differ from the nominate Hispaniola subspecies niger in size, bill size, and color tone.
Nicknames
It is very friendly towards humans and is known on various islands as Cling-cling, Chango, Chinchilín, and Iguana Bird.[3] The locals, and especially tour guides in San Juan, sometimes make fun of the tourists by telling them the birds are iguana-eating carnivores released by the government in response to the iguana epidemic[4] on the island, hence the name Iguana Bird.[5] In areas where Greater Antillean Grackles are less prevalent, such as some parts of Mexico, guides have different names for the bird.[6]
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an image of the "iguana bird", drawn by a local artist
Gallery
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Adult
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In San Juan, P.R.
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.jpg)
In Cuba
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_RWD.jpg)
in Puerto Rico
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in Puerto Rico
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in Jamaica
See also
- Fauna of Puerto Rico
- List of endemic fauna of Puerto Rico
- List of Puerto Rican birds
- List of Vieques birds
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Quiscalus niger". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ Bond, James. Birds of the West Indies. (fifth edition). Houghton-Mifflin, 1993.
- ↑ Jaramillo and Burke, New World Blackbirds ISBN 0-7136-4333-1
- ↑ http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10000872396390444900304577580053253903354 {{title= To Battle Iguanas, Puerto Rico Has New Plan: Put Them on Menu | accessdate=2 November 2013}}
- ↑ http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-greater-antillean-grackle.html {{title= Greater Antillean Grackle | accessdate=12 April 2013}}
- ↑ http://10000birds.com/grackles.htm
External links
- http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-greater-antillean-grackle.html
- http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=669516
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