Scientific Name: Quiscalus mexicanus

Residency: Throughout Arizona, year-round. Moves around to find food (partial migrator in Arizona).

Diet: Insects, fruit, crustaceans, fish, bird eggs, seeds and grain (will visit feeders for seed and grain).

Predators: Aplomado Falcon, Red-tailed Hawk, Burrowing Owl, and cottonmouth prey on adults. Cats and dogs prey on fledglings. Likely nest predators include cottonmouths and diamondback watersnakes. In urban settings, nest predators include fox squirrels and domestic cats.

Nesting: A colony nester, up to thousands of nests. Several females mate with one male. The female builds cup-shaped nest and lays 1-2 broods per year (each brood has 3-5 greenish-blue eggs with brown markings). This species prefers to nest near water in an open habitat with some trees. Also nests in parks, ranches, urban areas. Forms large, noisy roosts in winter.

Nesting Records: Scottsdale Community College.

Notes: Has been expanding its range from Mexico into North America during the last century, taking advantage of urbanization and irrigation. This bird has successfully increased its populations throughout its range, using human-modified habitats. It damages some crops and is therefore considered a pest species.

Photo: Photo at right was taken at Scottsdale Community College on May 19, 2006. For more photos, click on camera icon.

To return to bird species list, close or minimize this window.