Bird
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
Lives in Mississippi all year and nests here. Found in all 82 counties, across 20 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 20

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 20
- Habitat models
- Year-round
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Mississippi 20
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.
Dense, evergreen groves of live oak, magnolia and other hardwoods in the southern Coastal Plain, from dry oak domes to wet hydric hammocks and south Florida's tropical hammocks; salt-shaped maritime hammocks are maritime forests.
Open, wet, seepage-fed bogs of the Coastal Plain and Sandhills, often with pitcher plants.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.
Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.
Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.
Open, fire-kept longleaf pine stands over grasses and wildflowers on wet to moist sandy soil.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.
Places where groundwater keeps the soil or rock wet, such as seepage slopes and spring runs.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Other habitats in its models (104)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Mississippi. Those recorded in Mississippi first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (50)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Year-round.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Year-round.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Year-round.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Year-round.
- Cumberland Riverscour Year-round.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Year-round.
- Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Year-round.
- Florida Peninsula Inland Scrub Year-round.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Year-round.
- South Florida Bayhead Swamp Year-round.
- South Florida Cypress Dome Year-round.
- South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Year-round.
- South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Year-round.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Year-round.
- South Florida Mangrove Swamp Year-round.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Year-round.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Year-round.
- South Florida Wet Marl Prairie Year-round.
- South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Year-round.
- South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Year-round.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Year-round.
- Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Year-round.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Year-round.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Year-round.
- Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Year-round.
- Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Year-round.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Year-round.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Year-round.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Year-round.
Northeast (5)
- Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Year-round.
- Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Year-round.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Year-round.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Year-round.
Land cover and other classes (49)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Year-round.
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Year-round.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Year-round.
- Central Appalachian Floodplain - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Developed, Low Intensity Year-round.
- Developed, Medium Intensity Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Year-round.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Year-round.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
- Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Year-round.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Year-round.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Year-round.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Year-round.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Year-round.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Year-round.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Year-round.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Year-round.
Seasons in Mississippi
- Year-round: nests here, in all 82 counties.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
Native plants in these genera 103
- Helianthus radulaHelianthus radula
- Rosinweed SunflowerHelianthus silphioides
- Whorled SunflowerHelianthus verticillatus
- Woodland SunflowerHelianthus divaricatus
- Paleleaf SunflowerHelianthus strumosus
- Ashy SunflowerHelianthus mollis
- Beach SunflowerHelianthus debilis
- Giant SunflowerHelianthus giganteus
- Hairy SunflowerHelianthus hirsutus
- Helianthus floridanusHelianthus floridanus
- Muck SunflowerHelianthus simulans
- Narrowleaf SunflowerHelianthus angustifolius
- Purpledisk SunflowerHelianthus atrorubens
- Resindot SunflowerHelianthus resinosus
- Small Wood SunflowerHelianthus microcephalus
- Thinleaf SunflowerHelianthus decapetalus
- Variableleaf SunflowerHelianthus heterophyllus
- Western SunflowerHelianthus occidentalis
- Black OakQuercus velutina
- Blackjack OakQuercus marilandica
- Bluejack OakQuercus incana
- Bluff OakQuercus austrina
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Chestnut OakQuercus prinus
Plant genera in its diet records (16)
- Zea Seeds. 32 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Helianthus 8 diet records. 18 native plants in Mississippi
- Quercus Seeds. 2 diet records. 38 native plants in Mississippi
- Sorghum 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Ambrosia 1 diet record. 4 native plants in Mississippi
- Avena Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Digitaria 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Mississippi
- Oryza Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Panicum 1 diet record. 14 native plants in Mississippi
- Paspalum 1 diet record. 16 native plants in Mississippi
- Phytolacca 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Mississippi
- Polygonum 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Setaria 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Mississippi
- Toxicodendron Fruit. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Mississippi
- Triticum 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Xanthium 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Mississippi
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Mississippi, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Common Grackle uses many habitats in Mississippi; these are its 3 most characteristic.
Swamps
Birds 100
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Eurasian WigeonAnas penelope
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Great-tailed GrackleQuiscalus mexicanus
Plants 291
- Black Highbush BlueberryVaccinium fuscatum
- Dahoon HollyIlex cassine
- Carolina AshFraxinus caroliniana
- Dense-flower SmartweedPersicaria densiflora
- Water HickoryCarya aquatica
- Swamp TupeloNyssa biflora
- Bent SedgeCarex styloflexa
- Cypress-swamp SedgeCarex joorii
- Dark-green SedgeCarex venusta
- Fringed SedgeCarex crinita
- Ravenfoot SedgeCarex crus-corvi
- Southern Long SedgeCarex lonchocarpa
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Birds 120
- Cape May WarblerDendroica tigrina
- Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus
- Smith's LongspurCalcarius pictus
- Upland SandpiperBartramia longicauda
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Bronzed CowbirdMolothrus aeneus
- DickcisselSpiza americana
- Bell's VireoVireo bellii
- Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarola
Plants 1094
- Muck SunflowerHelianthus simulans
- Annual FleabaneErigeron annuus
- Canada LettuceLactuca canadensis
- Common Evening-primroseOenothera biennis
- Cutleaf Evening-primroseOenothera laciniata
- Dog-fennelEupatorium capillifolium
- Threadleaf SundropsOenothera linifolia
- Carolina Crane's-billGeranium carolinianum
- Carolina HorsenettleSolanum carolinense var. carolinense
- Blackeyed SusanRudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima
- Downy Ground-cherryPhysalis pubescens
- Gray Ground-cherryPhysalis grisea
All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in Mississippi
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 88
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Northern ParulaParula americana
Plants 346
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- White Panicled Aster; Eastern Lined AsterSymphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spruce Pine; Walters Pine; Cedar PinePinus glabra
- Blunt Broom SedgeCarex tribuloides
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP year-round habitat model for Common Grackle Elevation sea level to 1,371 m
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus












































































