Black oropendola

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Black oropendola
Psarocolius guatimozinus 1902.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Icteridae
Genus: Psarocolius
Species:
P. guatimozinus
Binomial name
Psarocolius guatimozinus
(Bonaparte, 1853)
Psarocolius guatimozinus map.svg

The black oropendola (Psarocolius guatimozinus) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae (New World blackbirds). It is found in Colombia and Panama. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Contents

Description

The male black oropendola grows to a length of about 46 cm (18 in) and the female about 39.5 cm (15.6 in). The sexes are similar in appearance and are mainly black, with dark chestnut back, rump, part of the wing-coverts and crissum (the area around the cloaca). There is a bluish bare patch on the cheek, edged with pink at its lowest extremity, and an orange-tipped, black beak. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The black oropendola is endemic to humid forests of northwestern South America. Its range includes northwestern Colombia, as far east as the Magdalena River, and the extreme southeastern part of Panama, a total area of occupancy of about 108,000 km2 (41,700 sq mi). Its altitudinal range is up to about 800 m (2,620 ft). [1] [2]

Ecology

The habits of the black oropendola have been little studied but its diet probably includes insects, small vertebrates and fruit. It clambers about high in the canopy and may sip nectar from flowers. It nests colonially, with up to twenty birds constructing their nests in one tree. [3] The eggs are pale pink, scantily blotched with reddish brown. [4] The black oropendola is probably polygynous, with one male mating with many females. The breeding season in Panama is February while in Colombia it is April to June. [3]

Status

The black oropendola has a large range and is said to be fairly common. Its population trend seems to be stable and no particular threats have been identified. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

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The crested oropendola, also known as the Suriname crested oropendola or the cornbird, is a New World tropical icterid bird. It is a resident breeder in lowland South America east of the Andes, from Panama and Colombia south to northern Argentina, as well as on Trinidad and Tobago. If the genus Gymnostinax for the Montezuma oropendola and its closest relatives were considered valid, this species would probably belong in that genus.

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Chestnut-headed oropendola Species of bird

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Red-bellied grackle Species of bird

The red-bellied grackle is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. Its genus, Hypopyrrhus, is monotypic.

Tawny-breasted myiobius Species of bird

The tawny-breasted myiobius or tawny-breasted flycatcher is a species of passerine bird in the family Tityridae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Dusky-green oropendola Species of bird

The dusky-green oropendola is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found on the eastern slope of the Andes in Bolivia and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest.

Baudó oropendola Species of bird

The Baudó oropendola is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is endemic to Colombia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, which are threatened by destruction. As it is only known from a small number of locations, its conservation status has been assessed as "endangered" by the IUCN.

Green oropendola Species of bird

The green oropendola is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in wooded habitats in the Amazon basin and Guianas of South America, and is generally common. Uniquely among the oropendolas, the green oropendola has a pale bill with an orange tip. Male oropendola weigh around 400 grams, while females are in the 200 gram range. This is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its status as being of "least concern".

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The emerald tanager is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama. Described by the English ornithologists PL Sclater and Osbert Salvin in 1869, it is a medium-sized species that has a length of 10.6–13 cm (4.2–5.1 in) and a mass of 18–20.5 g (0.63–0.72 oz). It can be identified by its bright green plumage, with black streaking on the back and wings, and a black auricular patch and beak. It also has yellow on the crown and rump. The species shows slight sexual dimorphism, with the females being duller and having yellow-green in place of yellow on the head.

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2020). "Psarocolius guatimozinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22724025A136640257. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22724025A136640257.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Ridgely, Robert S.; Tudor, Guy (2009). Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines. University of Texas Press. p. 678. ISBN   978-0-292-71748-0.
  3. 1 2 Fraga, R. (2011). "Black Oropendola (Psarocolius guatimozinus)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  4. Hilty, Steven L.; Brown, Bill (1986). A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press. p. 564. ISBN   0-691-08372-X.