Olive oropendola
| Olive oropendola | |
|---|---|
_yurucares_-_Castelnau.jpg)
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Icteridae |
| Genus: | Psarocolius |
| Species: | P. bifasciatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Psarocolius bifasciatus (Spix, 1824)
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The olive oropendola (Psarocolius bifasciatus) is the largest member of the
Amazon Basin, with the notable exception of most of the Guiana Shield. It is sometimes split into two species, the western olive oropendola (P. yuracares) and the eastern Pará oropendola (P. bifasciatus), but the subspecies P. y. neivae is widely recognized as a hybrid swarm
, and the vast majority of authorities consider them a single species.
Description
The sexes of this icterid are very different in size: the male is 52 cm (21 in) long and weighs 550 g (1.2 lbs); the smaller female is 41 cm (16 in) long and weighs 260 g (9.2 oz). Confusingly, the name "olive oropendola" is usually used for this combined species, despite the fact that the
wing-coverts
, lacks extensive bare facial-skin, has a pale bill with an orange tip, and blue eyes.
Behavior
The olive oropendola is a
canopy
bird that most often is seen flying high over the tops of the trees. Compared to other oropendolas it is a "loner" most frequently seen alone or in pairs, and drawing less attention to itself than its cousins, despite the greater size. Small groups are seen occasionally, and may even mix with other oropendolas. The breeding colonies are small, usually with fewer than five birds. The nest is a hanging woven ball fibers and vines, 60–180 cm long, high in a tree. Relatively little is known about these bird's breeding habits.
The
omnivorous diet appears to be fairly catholic. They may eat small vertebrates (especially amphibians and reptiles), large insects, nectar, and fruit
. They often travel great distances through the forests, except when lingering around their nesting colony.
The song of the olive oropendola is a liquid, gurgling and "expanding" stek-ek-ek-ek-eh-eh-eh-o'o 'GLOOP!, given as a displaying male falls forward on a perch and rustles his wings over the back. Nasal raap and whrup calls are given while in flight or when foraging.
Gallery
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Male Olive oropendola (Psarocolius bifasciatus) in Tiputini, Ecuador mid-display -
Olive Oropendola
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- Hilty, Steven L. (2003): Birds of Venezuela. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
- Olive Oropendola (Psarocolius bifasciatus yuracares) arthurgrosset.com. Retrieved on 15 January 2009.