Birds of the World

    PASSERIFORMES: Icteridae (Oropendolas, New World Orioles, Blackbirds)  
Genus: Psarocolius (9 species)

Genus Psarocolius, Oropendolas, are very large blackbirds, around 40 cm., which travel and nest in groups, and weave hanging nests made from long plant fibers.


Russet-backed Oropendola
Russet-backed Oropendola (Psarocolius angustifrons salmoni)
Range: SA: w, n
ProAves Tangaras Reserve, El Carmen de Atrato, Choco, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A large Oropendola, often common and conspicuous. Look for hanging nests near clearings. Amazon races don't have yellow crown, and are more uniform in color. Bill ranges from pinkish to yellow or orange. And there is a black-billed race in the eastern Andes.
A possible immature of an Amazonian race.
Pink-billed individual.
Eastern foothill subspecies with black bill.
Gathering filaments for nest.

Dusky-green Oropendola
Dusky-green Oropendola (Psarocolius atrovirens)
Range: SA: Peru and Bolivia
Manu, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A slightly smaller oropendola.

Olive Oropendola
Olive Oropendola (Psarocolius bifasciatus neivae)
Range: SA: Amazonia from e Colombia, e Ecuador and s Venezuela to c Bolivia and sc Brazil
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

Very large.

Baudo Oropendola
Baudo Oropendola (Psarocolius cassini) Vulnerable
Range: SA: nw Colombia
Bahia Solano, Choco, Colombia
  Note pink cheek.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.



Crested Oropendola
Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus decumanus)
Range: SA: sw Costa Rica to n South America (except trans-Andean Ecuador to Chile), Amazonia to nw, ne Argentina and e Paraguay; Trinidad and Tobago
Minca, Magdalena, Colombia
  Seen here making the distinctive oropendola sound, which includes wing flapping.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Note ivory bill and mostly black color. Often found where the same-sized but brown Russet-backed Oropendola is not. Oropendola move in groups and build hanging weaved nests in palm trees.
At a nest.

Black Oropendola
Black Oropendola (Psarocolius guatimozinus)
Range: MA, SA: Panama and Colombia
Apartado, Antioquia, Colombia
  Note large size and blue cheek.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Montezuma Oropendola
Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma)
Range: MA: s Mexico to Panama
Arenal Observatory, Costa Rica  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Green Oropendola
Green Oropendola (Psarocolius viridis)
Range: SA: Amazonia
 
   
Photograph by circadian.fire     Copyright and usage info

Note pink bill tip (bill colors are a good way to identify oropendolas).

Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Chestnut-headed Oropendola (Psarocolius wagleri ridgwayi)
Range: MA, SA: ec Mexico to ec Colombia and sw Ecuador
Bahia Solano, Choco, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A bit smaller than the Russet-backed Oropendola and Crested Oropendola, but with similar sounds and hanging nests.


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