Great-tailed Grackle Archives - Window to Wildlife

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, Talon was his name and he said his girlfriend Sophie was the original finder of this bird that she ebirded at their home. He said this is crazy, we had the bird in our yard yesterday and we live 5 miles from here! Talon 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 looking for the bird. We did see the Great-tailed Grackle briefly a few times as it perched high up in a tree and then flying around some but could not nail down better photos. As Ben was leaving the campground heading for home he spotted the bird in a 8 foot tall sumac bush. We both finally got great looks at the bird and then it dropped to the ground and started feeding. On the ground it took its time looking for food, bugs or grubs and getting them to eat. It was raining and I quickly took a few photos from my car and then made the journey home. A big thank you to Sophie for seeing this bird in their yard, knowing it was something different and ebirding it for the 4th Wisconsin record. Also to the Bayfield birders for re-finding it the next day and getting the word out to the social 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. Update: as of 6/19/26 afternoon, no reports of the bird since I left the campground, a few birders have tried.