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Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

Agelaius xanthomus

Endangered · IUCN Red List

ENEndangeredEndemicInvertebratesWetlandCavity nestSmall · 38 g
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 1
Photo: Alex Doyle · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 2
Photo: Alex Doyle · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 3
Photo: Sandra Keller · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 4
Photo: avocat · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 5
Photo: Paul Prior · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 6
Photo: Mike Morel/U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 7
Photo: Mike Morel/U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 8
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region · Public domain
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 9
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region · Public domain
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus), photo 10
Photo: J. Wiley · Public domain

ID tip

The yellow-shouldered blackbird, as its name implies, is a glossy black bird with a small yellow humeral patch around its "shoulders" outlined by a white margin. Immature individuals possess a duller coloration and a brown abdomen. Although plumage coloration is indistinguishable between the sexes, sexual dimorphism is present in this species with males being larger than females. Plumage abnormality is rare in this species. Adult individuals measure from 20–23 cm (7.9–9.1 in); on average, males weigh 41 g (1.4 oz) and females weigh 35 g (1.2 oz).

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is March, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

Regular range

The map shades 1 country with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Puerto Rico

About the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

The yellow-shouldered blackbird, known in Puerto Rican Spanish as mariquita de Puerto Rico or capitán, is a species of blackbird endemic to Puerto Rico. It has black plumage with a prominent yellow patch on the wing. Adult males and females are of similar appearance. The species is predominantly insectivorous.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Red-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius assimilis) Red-shouldered BlackbirdAgelaius assimilisThe red-shouldered blackbird closely resembles the more numerous and widespread red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), but in contrast to phoeniceus, assimilis males and females are closer in relative size, the female is all-black instead of brown-streaked, and paired birds are monogamous. Tawny-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius humeralis) Tawny-shouldered BlackbirdAgelaius humeralisThe tawny-shouldered blackbird is 19 to 22 cm (7.5 to 8.7 in) long. Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) Tricolored BlackbirdAgelaius tricolorThe tricolored blackbird is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae.

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