Birds of Colombia

    PASSERIFORMES: Icteridae (Oropendolas, New World Orioles, Blackbirds)  
Genus: Psarocolius (7 species, 9 worldwide)

Genus Psarocolius, Oropendolas, are very large blackbirds, around 40 cm., which travel and nest in groups, and weave hanging nests made from long plant fibers.



Russet-backed Oropendola
Russet-backed Oropendola (Psarocolius angustifrons salmoni)
ProAves Tangaras Reserve, El Carmen de Atrato, Choco, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A large Oropendola, often common and conspicuous. Look for hanging nests near clearings. Amazon races don't have yellow crown, and are more uniform in color. Bill ranges from pinkish to yellow or orange. And there is a black-billed race in the eastern Andes.
Gathering filaments for nest.
Eastern foothill subspecies with black bill.
Pink-billed individual.
A possible immature of an Amazonian race.

Olive Oropendola
Olive Oropendola (Psarocolius bifasciatus neivae)
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

Very large.

Baudo Oropendola
Baudo Oropendola (Psarocolius cassini) Vulnerable ENDEMIC
Bahia Solano, Choco, Colombia
  Note pink cheek.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.



Crested Oropendola
Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus decumanus)
Minca, Magdalena, Colombia
  Seen here making the distinctive oropendola sound, which includes wing flapping.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Note ivory bill and mostly black color. Often found where the same-sized but brown Russet-backed Oropendola is not. Oropendola move in groups and build hanging weaved nests in palm trees.
At a nest.

Black Oropendola
Black Oropendola (Psarocolius guatimozinus)
Apartado, Antioquia, Colombia
  Note large size and blue cheek.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Green Oropendola
Green Oropendola (Psarocolius viridis)
 
   
Photograph by circadian.fire     Copyright and usage info

Note pink bill tip (bill colors are a good way to identify oropendolas).

Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Chestnut-headed Oropendola (Psarocolius wagleri ridgwayi)
Bahia Solano, Choco, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A bit smaller than the Russet-backed Oropendola and Crested Oropendola, but with similar sounds and hanging nests.


© Tom Friedel - All Rights Reserved, except for images and data otherwise noted.       Colombia       Panama       Ecuador       Costa Rica       Mexico
Experimental sites:       Peru       Venezuela       The World       Brazil       Bolivia
Really Experimental sites:       Guyana       Cuba