Copyright: monacoeye • Pantanal, August 2012 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Crested Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius decumanus
Other: Japu-preto (Br) • Oropéndola crestada, conoto yapú, conoto negro (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Panama to northern Argentina, incl Brazil, Ecuador etc
Similar: Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Band-tailed Oropendola

The Crested Oropendola is the most common Oropendola, often seen at feeders in the Pantanal, Brazil; huge numbers seen returning to roost each evening in the Upper Napo region of eastern Ecuador (photo below); also seen as far west as Chiriqui, Panama (photo lowest) - it is currently expanding northwest into Honduras etc.

The Crested Oropendola has a pale yellow bill, bright blue irises, black body with long yellow undertail feathers, which extend past the 2 black central feathers, and chestnut vent and rump.

Charismatic birds which make wonderful noises and calls and a spectacular display (pic below).

Brazil

Below, Crested Oropendola at fruit feeder, Curicaca Lodge, Pantanal, Aug 2011


Below, presumed juvenile Crested Oropendola (dark iris), Curicaca Lodge, Pantanal, Aug 2011


Below, Crested Oropendola displaying at Rio Clarinho tower, Pantanal, Aug 2011
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • San Isidro, Ecuador, March 2011 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Russet Backed Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius angustifrons
Other: Oropéndola dorsirrojiza (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Andes, incl Ecuador, and Venezuelan coast
Similar:

The Russet-backed Oropendola is the only Oropendola in the Ecuadorian Andes, which makes identification easier there. There are several subspecies, the eastern race has a dark bill, generally, whereas other morphs (south and west) have light bills.

All birds pictured on this page, except the lowest, were taken at the same lodge, San Isidro, on the eastern slope, but even at this one location there appears to be variability in bill colour and plumage (see below). You can get very good views of this bird at San Isidro Lodge.

There were also large numbers Russet-backed Oropendolas seen returning to roost each evening in the Upper Napo region of eastern Ecuador (photo below), I think mixed with Crested Oropendolas; I certainly identified some of each species in the flocks containing many hundreds of birds.

The eastern Russet-backed Oropendola, pictured here, is a dark bird with an olive head, variable bill colour, olive - brownish body and long yellow undertail feathers.


Ecuador

Below, Russet-backed Oropendola at San Isidro Lodge, Ecuador, March 2011
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, May 2010

Bird name: Chestnut Headed Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius wagleri
Other: Oropéndola cabecicastaña (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Mexico to Ecuador
Similar:

I saw a tree full of pendulous Chestnut-headed Oropendola nest on my first day in Cerro Azul. A wonderful sight. And individual birds were not infrequent on forest walks. Pictured above attending a fruit feeder in Canopy Lodge. They make noises like water glooping in a cave! Fantastic blue iris.

Below, Chestnut-headed Oropendola close-up, Panama.


Below, Chestnut-headed Oropendola nests, Panama.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • San Isidro, Ecuador, March 2011 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Green Oropendola
Latin: Psarocolius viridis
Other: Oropéndola dorsirrojiza (Es)
Family: Icteridae • Oropendolas
Range: Amazonia: Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyanas.
Similar: Olive Oropendola

These were the only views I had of Green Oropendolas - on a small island river in the Upper Napo region of Ecuador. They are identifiable by a pink tip to their light bills. Otherwise mostly olive with long yellow tails and chestnut rump and vent.

Ecuador

Below, Green Oropendola in Upper Napo, Ecuador, March 2011
More photos...

224 Icteridae - Oropendolas, Caciques, New World Orioles, Blackbirds, Grackles, Cowbirds - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Clypicterus oseryi - Casqued Oropendola - W Amazonia

Psarocolius wagleri - Chestnut-headed Oropendola - Mexico to Ecuador - was Zarhynchus wagleri
Psarocolius decumanus - Crested Oropendola - N, SC, South America, also Panama
Psarocolius viridis - Green Oropendola - Amazonia
Psarocolius atrovirens - Dusky-green Oropendola - Peru, Bolivia
Psarocolius angustifrons - Russet-backed Oropendola - W, N South America
Psarocolius montezuma - Montezuma Oropendola - S Mexico to Panama
Psarocolius cassini - Baudo Oropendola - NW Colombia
Psarocolius bifasciatus - Olive Oropendola - E, S Amazonia - was Para Oropendola
Psarocolius guatimozinus - Black Oropendola - Panama, Colombia

Ocyalus latirostris - Band-tailed Oropendola - W Amazonia

Cacicus cela - Yellow-rumped Cacique - Panama to SE South America
Cacicus haemorrhous - Red-rumped Cacique - Colombia to E Brazil & N Argentina
Cacicus uropygialis - Subtropical Cacique - Panama to Peru
Cacicus microrhynchus - Scarlet-rumped Cacique - Honduras to Panama - Split from C. uropygialis
Cacicus chrysopterus - Golden-winged Cacique - SC South America
Cacicus chrysonotus - Southern Mountain Cacique - Peru, N Bolivia
Cacicus leucoramphus - Northern Mountain Cacique - Venezuela to Ecuador, N Peru - Split from C. chrysonotus
Cacicus sclateri - Ecuadorian Cacique - Ecuador, Peru
Cacicus koepckeae - Selva Cacique - Peru
Cacicus solitarius - Solitary Cacique - C Amazonia to N Argentina
Cacicus melanicterus - Mexican Cacique - W Mexico to SE Guatemala

Amblycercus holosericeus - Yellow-billed Cacique - Mexico to N Bolivia

Icterus icterus - Venezuelan Troupial - Colombia, Venezuela
Icterus croconotus - Orange-backed Troupial - N, W, SW Amazonia
Icterus jamacaii - Campo Troupial - E Brazil
Icterus pectoralis - Spot-breasted Oriole - Widespread Middle America
Icterus graceannae - White-edged Oriole - Ecuador, Peru
Icterus mesomelas - Yellow-tailed Oriole - Mexico to Peru
Icterus cayanensis - Epaulet Oriole - N, C, SC South America
Icterus pyrrhopterus - Variable Oriole - Pantanal Brazil etc . split from cayanensis, added 2010
Icterus bonana - Martinique Oriole - Martinique
Icterus laudabilis - St. Lucia Oriole - St. Lucia
Icterus oberi - Montserrat Oriole - Montserrat
Icterus dominicensis - Hispaniolan Oriole - Hispaniola - Was Greater Antillean Oriole
Icterus portoricensis - Puerto Rican Oriole - Puerto Rico - Split from Greater Antillean (Hispaniolan) Oriole
Icterus melanopsis - Cuban Oriole - Cuba - Split from Greater Antillean (Hispaniolan) Oriole
Icterus northropi - Bahama Oriole - Bahamas - Split from Greater Antillean (Hispaniolan) Oriole
Icterus prosthemelas - Black-cowled Oriole - S Mexico to Panama
Icterus spurius - Orchard Oriole - SE Canada to C Mexico
Icterus fuertesi - Ochre Oriole - NE Mexico - Split from I. spurius
Icterus cucullatus - Hooded Oriole - SW USA, Mexico, Belize
Icterus wagleri - Black-vented Oriole - Mexico to Nicaragua
Icterus maculialatus - Bar-winged Oriole - S Mexico to El Salvador
Icterus parisorum - Scott's Oriole - SC USA, Mexico
Icterus auricapillus - Orange-crowned Oriole - Panama to Venezuela
Icterus chrysater - Yellow-backed Oriole - S Mexico to Venezuela
Icterus graduacauda - Audubon's Oriole - S Texas, Mexico
Icterus galbula - Baltimore Oriole - E North America - Colombia
Icterus abeillei - Black-backed Oriole - SC Mexico
Icterus bullockii - Bullock's Oriole - W North America - Mexico to Nicaragua
Icterus pustulatus - Streak-backed Oriole - Widespread Middle America
Icterus leucopteryx - Jamaican Oriole - Jamaica, Cayman Islands
Icterus auratus - Orange Oriole - SE Mexico
Icterus nigrogularis - Yellow Oriole - N South America
Icterus gularis - Altamira Oriole - S Texas to Honduras

Nesopsar nigerrimus - Jamaican Blackbird - Jamaica

Gymnomystax mexicanus - Oriole Blackbird - Amazonia

Macroagelaius subalaris - Colombian Mountain Grackle - Colombia
Macroagelaius imthurni - Golden-tufted Mountain Grackle - Tepuis

Hypopyrrhus pyrohypogaster - Red-bellied Grackle - Colombia

Lampropsar tanagrinus - Velvet-fronted Grackle - W, SW Amazonia, Tepuis

Gnorimopsar chopi - Chopi Blackbird - E, SE, SC South America

Curaeus curaeus - Austral Blackbird - Southern Cone
Curaeus forbesi - Forbes's Blackbird - E Brazil

Amblyramphus holosericeus - Scarlet-headed Blackbird - SE, SC South America

Agelasticus xanthophthalmus - Pale-eyed Blackbird - Ecuador, Peru
Agelasticus cyanopus - Unicolored Blackbird - SC, E Brazil
Agelasticus thilius - Yellow-winged Blackbird - SW, SC South America

Chrysomus ruficapillus - Chestnut-capped Blackbird - NE, SC South America
Chrysomus icterocephalus - Yellow-hooded Blackbird - N, C South America

Xanthopsar flavus - Saffron-cowled Blackbird - SC South America

Pseudoleistes guirahuro - Yellow-rumped Marshbird - SE South America
Pseudoleistes virescens - Brown-and-yellow Marshbird - SE South America

Agelaioides oreopsar - Bolivian Blackbird - Bolivia
Agelaioides badius - Baywing - SC South America

Molothrus rufoaxillaris - Screaming Cowbird - SC South America
Molothrus oryzivorus - Giant Cowbird - S Mexico through N South America
Molothrus aeneus - Bronzed Cowbird - SW USA to Panama
Molothrus armenti - Bronze-brown Cowbird - Colombia - Split from M. aeneus
Molothrus bonariensis - Shiny Cowbird - SE USA though C South America
Molothrus ater - Brown-headed Cowbird - S Canada to S Mexico

Dives atroviolaceus - Cuban Blackbird - Cuba
Dives dives - Melodious Blackbird - Mexico to Nicaragua
Dives warczewiczi - Scrub Blackbird - Ecuador, Peru

Agelaius phoeniceus - Red-winged Blackbird - Widespread North America, Middle America
Agelaius assimilis - Red-shouldered Blackbird - Cuba
Agelaius tricolor - Tricolored Blackbird - California
Agelaius humeralis - Tawny-shouldered Blackbird - Hispaniola, Cuba
Agelaius xanthomus - Yellow-shouldered Blackbird - Puerto Rico

Euphagus carolinus - Rusty Blackbird - N North America - SE South America
Euphagus cyanocephalus - Brewer's Blackbird - W, C North America - Mexico

Quiscalus quiscula - Common Grackle - C, E North America
Quiscalus lugubris - Carib Grackle - Lesser Antilles, N South America
Quiscalus mexicanus - Great-tailed Grackle - S USA through W, N South America
Quiscalus major - Boat-tailed Grackle - E, SE USA
Quiscalus palustris - Slender-billed Grackle - C Mexico
Quiscalus nicaraguensis - Nicaraguan Grackle - Nicaragua
Quiscalus niger - Greater Antillean Grackle - Greater Antilles

Sturnella militaris - Red-breasted Blackbird - Costa Rica through C South America
Sturnella superciliaris - White-browed Blackbird - SC South America
Sturnella bellicosa - Peruvian Meadowlark - Ecuador to N Chile
Sturnella defilippii - Pampas Meadowlark - SE South America
Sturnella loyca - Long-tailed Meadowlark - Southern Cone
Sturnella magna - Eastern Meadowlark - SE Canada to NE Brazil
Sturnella neglecta - Western Meadowlark - W North America, Middle America

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus - Yellow-headed Blackbird - W North America, Middle America

Dolichonyx oryzivorus - Bobolink - N, C North America - C South America