Hi Flex9050,

Neat looking Grackle.....its a Common Grackle but the body color points it to the interior continental population. That more brighter yellowish bronze iridescent on the body with the more blue iridescent head and that small area of lighter greenish/blue on the back of its neck (probably also present on the lower neck on the front of the bird) is consistent with the interior Common Grackle which makes sense if the photo was taken in Oklahoma.

Localized Florida populations look different, shame shape, but a more greenish look to the color on the body, more purple on the head and more darker true blue on the back of neck and under the lower neck. The variety we have on the East Coast has a more brownish body color and more purple violet in the head. That iridescent can indicate what population the bird represents. Kinda puts a more interesting twist to a Grackle.

They are very smart and intelligent birds, and have more advanced language than most birds......just a step down from the crows. In addition to the Common Grackle, we have two other species in North America. The boat-tailed grackle has a huge, V-shaped tail in flight that looks like a rudder, easy to distinguish from a Common Grackle, especially in flight. The boat-tailed grackle ranges along the East and Gulf Coasts but that does not mean one will not stray inland. The other is the Great-tailed Grackle and they are more interior and West on the continent. Where a boat-tailed would not commonly stray into Oklahoma, the Great-tailed is likely. It is larger, has a long diamond shaped tail and a much longer , some what curved bill than the Common Grackle.....it also will appear more angular than the Common and Boat-tailed. Keep your eyes out for them, they are also an interesting looking bird, maybe you can add a photo of a Great-tailed Grackle to go along with your fine photo of the interior Common Grackle.

With My Best,