Montezuma Oropendola
Psarocolius montezuma
The Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma) is a common new world blackbirds, troupials, and alli found in 7 countries, weighing about 310 g. The Montezuma oropendola is a New World tropical icterid bird.
About the Montezuma Oropendola
The Montezuma oropendola is a New World tropical icterid bird. It is a resident breeder in the Caribbean coastal lowlands from southeastern Mexico to central Panama, but is absent from El Salvador and southern Guatemala. It also occurs on the Pacific slope of Nicaragua and Honduras and northwestern and southwestern Costa Rica. It is among the oropendola species sometimes separated in the genus Gymnostinops. The English and scientific names of this species commemorate the Aztec emperor Moctezuma II.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Adult males are mainly chestnut with a blackish head and rump, and a tail which is bright yellow apart from two dark central feathers. There is a bare blue cheek patch and a pink wattle, the iris is brown, and the long bill is black at the base with a red tip. Females are similar, but smaller than males with a smaller wattle. Young birds are duller than adults and have a paler and less demarcated bill. No subspecies are currently recognized. Voice: The "unforgettable" song of the male Montezuma oropendola is given during the bowing display, and consists of a conversational bubbling followed by loud gurgles, tic-tic-glik-glak-GLUUuuuuu. Both sexes have loud cack and crrrk calls. In a recent study by on male Montezuma oropendolas, researchers found that, when at breeding sites, males often changed the lowest peak frequency.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Montezuma Oropendola can be seen all year round, with peak activity in March. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Montezuma Oropendola?
- Adult males are mainly chestnut with a blackish head and rump, and a tail which is bright yellow apart from two dark central feathers. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Montezuma Oropendola?
- The Montezuma Oropendola is a large sized bird weighing about 310 g.
- Where can you see a Montezuma Oropendola?
- The Montezuma Oropendola occurs in 7 countries, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Belize and Nicaragua.
- What birds look similar to a Montezuma Oropendola?
- The Montezuma Oropendola is most easily confused with the Crested Oropendola, the Russet-backed Oropendola and the Chestnut-headed Oropendola.
- Is the Montezuma Oropendola endangered?
- The Montezuma Oropendola is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Montezuma Oropendola for real
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