A Great-tailed Grackle was reported early morning on June 16 at a private residence near Red Cliff Wisconsin. This bird’s normal range is Iowa and then to the SW USA. This female bird is Wisconsin’s 4th state record. I saw the ebird report at the end of that day and thought I’d wait till morning to see if it was reported again and try for it. Getting up the following morning at 6 AM a great group of birders in Bayfield relocated the bird at Red Cliff Campground. I mentioned it to my wife at 6 AM that it was just reported again and all she said was what are you waiting for, get going! I made the 6 1/2 hour drive up there. Arriving about 12:30 PM a quick drive through of the campground and casino parking lot I came up empty. A person showed up in a car and he said his girlfriend was the original founder of this bird. He said this is crazy, we had the bird in our yard yesterday and we live 5 miles from here! He was on lunch and birded briefly and then left. Another birder showed up, Ben, and we waited and drove around the campground for the next hour and 15 minutes. At that time the bird suddenly appeared, Ben spotted it in a 8 foot tall sumac bush as he was pulling out of the campground to head home. I was near him and as we watched it, it dropped to the ground and started feeding. On the ground it took its time looking for food, bugs or grubs and getting them. It was raining and I quickly took a few photos from my car and then made the journey home. A big thank you to the original finders of this bird and to the Bayfield birders for re-finding it the next day and getting the word out to the media for others to see it. I hope it hangs around for others. It was a rainy day with temps around 57 degrees with low winds. What a great bird and Wisconsin life bird for me #393. Images were taken on June 17, 2026.
The female Great-tailed Grackle…
Here the bird is sneaking around getting things to eat…
Maybe something to eat here…
Maybe heard something to eat in the grass…
