About the Crested Oropendola
The crested oropendola, also known as the cornbird, is a species of bird in the family Icteridae, the oropendolas, New World orioles, and New World blackbirds. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay. It is "[u]ndoubtedly overall the commonest and most widespread oropendola".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Male crested oropendolas of the nominate subspecies P. d. decumanus average 47 cm (19 in) long and females 37 cm (15 in). Males weigh about 285 g (10 oz) and females about 160 g (5.6 oz). Adult males have long feathers on their nape that form a crest. They are mostly a slightly glossy black with a chesnut rump, uppertail coverts, and undertail coverts. Their central pair of tail feathers are black and the rest yellow. Adult females are overall duller than males; they are brownish tinged rather than pure black and have a minimal crest. Voice: The male crested oropendola's display song "usually starts with low-pitched liquid notes, accelerates into variable and complex rattling crescendo, and ends with 2–3 seconds of rhythmic wing-flaps". One description calls it "very complex, including very high, rapid, staccato flutes and liquid curls".
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Crested Oropendola sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Uruguay.
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Montezuma OropendolaPsarocolius montezumaAdult males are mainly chestnut with a blackish head and rump, and a tail which is bright yellow apart from two dark central feathers.
Russet-backed OropendolaPsarocolius angustifronsRusset-backed oropendola males are 44 to 48 cm (17 to 19 in) long and females 34 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in).
Chestnut-headed OropendolaPsarocolius wagleriChestnut-headed oropendola males average 35 cm (14 in) long and females 28 cm (11 in).
Side by side: Crested Oropendola vs Montezuma Oropendola · Crested Oropendola vs Russet-backed Oropendola · Chestnut-headed Oropendola vs Crested Oropendola
Learn the Crested Oropendola for real
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