"The male common grackle appears entirely black at a distance or in poor light, but it glows with a rainbow spectrum of iridescent color in the sunshine. The head is glossed with purple; the body, shimmering bronze ... It resides year-round in the northern and eastern portion of Texas ... In winter, however, grackles assemble in huge flocks that descend on the state and roam farther west and south as well."

"Brewer's blackbird differs from the much larger grackles in having a rounder head, a shorter bill, and a shorter, rounded tail."

Photo taken with a Nikon D80 using a Nikon 300mm f/2.8 lens.

May 23, 2007.