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Breeding Range. (Fig. 151). Common in the Agassiz Lake Plain Region and on the Northeastern, Southern, and Northwestern Drift Plains; fairly common in the Turtle Mountains and on the Missouri Coteau and Coteau Slope; fairly common, locally, on the Missouri Slope and Little Missouri Slope.

Breeding Habitat. The Common Grackle could be considered as an edge species that requires wood margins as well as adjoining open expanses of prairie or cropland. It is especially characteristic of areas of human habitation, including partially wooded farmsteads and adjoining shelterbelts, and residential areas in towns and suburbs. A considerable variety of ornamental or planted trees is present on these sites including deciduous species and various evergreens. In the countryside, grackles also frequent the vicinity of natural, dense thickets of small trees, particularly wild plum, hawthorn, and box elder. In LaMoure County, this species occasionally nests in mixed thickets of shrubs, small trees, and cattails in wet situations along the margins of sloughs (M. L. Avery).

Nesting. Breeding season: Early April to late July; peak, early May to early July. Normally, adults arrive on their breeding territories during early April. Extreme egg dates (67 nests): May 5 [1973] in LaMoure County (M. L. Avery) to June 22 [1873] in Pembina County (Coues 1878). Extreme nestling dates (9 nests): May 29 [1961] in Stutsman County (RES) to June 18 [1916] in Ramsey County (V. Bailey). Extreme dates of dependent young out of the nest (8 records): June 21 [1912] in Nelson County (F. M. Bailey) to July 23 [1968] in Renville County (RES).

Nine reported nests were situated in a variety of trees, including both deciduous and evergreen species. Three nests were situated in cattails, about 2 feet above the water (M. L. Avery). The height above ground of four nests ranged from 7 to 15 feet. At Pembina in 1873, Coues (1878) reported that nests were situated in hollows of trees, and a bird was seen entering a hollow in a tree at Medora in 1972 (P. F. Springer). During July 1929 in Bowman County, Youngworth (1932) found several nests that were built on steel beams inside a large, abandoned coal briquet plant. At Kenmare in 1973, Ann M. Gammell reports that Common Grackles were nesting in martin bird houses.

Indicated clutch size (7 nests): 4 to 6 eggs; mean, 4.9 eggs.

Figure 151. Breeding Range of Common Grackle.