Melodious Blackbird vs Scrub Blackbird

Melodious Blackbird

Dives dives

Medium91 gForest

Male melodious blackbirds average 25.5 cm (10 in) long and weigh 98.3 to 102 g (3.5 to 3.6 oz). Females average 23 cm (9.1 in) long and weigh 83.4 to 95.9 g (2.9 to 3.4 oz). The species has a long tail and disproportionately large legs and feet. The sexes have the same plumage: Adults are entirely black with blue and purple iridescence. They have a dark brown iris, a black bill, and black legs and feet. Juveniles are a duller, non-glossy, brownish black. Voice: Both sexes of the melodious blackbird sing, and often do so in duet. One description of its song calls is "loud and musical, a mix of mellow whistles and warbles with sudden changes in pitch". They sing from an open perch and display to each other "with pumping movements that appear almost like a dance", singing a "ringing, slightly liquid Wheeeee 'Teeuu!" that is often repeated at length.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Pat Hall · CC BY 4.0

Scrub Blackbird

Dives warczewiczi

Medium73 gShrubland

Scrub blackbirds of the nominate subspecies are about 22 cm (9 in) long and those of subspecies D. w. kalinowskii 27 to 31 cm (11 to 12 in). Males of the nominate subspecies weigh an average of 85.5 g (3.0 oz) and females 84 g (3.0 oz). Males of subspecies D. w. kalinowskii weigh an average of 110 g (3.9 oz). The species has a long tail and disproportionately large legs and feet. Both sexes of both subspecies have the same entirely black plumage. The nominate subspecies has a blue to green iridescence and D. w. kalinowskii has a violaceous iridescence. Voice: The scrub blackbird is "a scandalously noisy bird". Pairs typically sing in duet, "a rather pleasant mixture of warbles, trills and whistles, mixed with chattering and buzzing notes". Birds typically sing from a perch while fluffing their feathers, "bowing", and pointing their bill to the sky. One rendering of the song is "a variation of wr-tzzzeeét! worgleeo, wor-gleeo-glezeé".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Loja: Tambo Negro 10 km E Macará, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Antonio W. Salas · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Melodious Blackbird and Scrub Blackbird.