Noisy Arizona blackbird (1 Viewer)

[RobR]

Greetings!

I live in Cleveland, OH, and have a daughter and grandson in Yuma, AZ. We visited them a few weeks ago. Every morning I was awakened by several loudly whistling birds. One morning, I went out for a walk while they were still calling. I saw that they were black birds, larger than a robin but nowhere near as large as a crow, but they seemed skinny to me. A local person said they were grackles, but if so, they were a different species than the ones we have here in Ohio, which are rather handsome black birds with iridescent dark blue heads. And I've never heard a grackle whistle here. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures.

Can anyone take an educated guess on what these Arizona blackbirds were?

Thank you very much!

RobR

 

[Gentoo]

The physical description and the vocal one would have to be Great-Tailed Grackles. They are larger than the Common Grackles you're used to and have whistled call among others. Some are bizarre and wild sounding and at times mechanical and unbirdlike.

did they look like this?
http://www.pbase.com/image/111130933

 

[RobR]

Yes, I'm sure that's the one. Thanks very much!

RobR

 

[Dave B Smith]

Hello Rob,
And welcome to the Birdforum. Agree with Gentoo, these Great-tailed Grackles are quite vocal and make some amazing noises.