Chestnut-capped Blackbird
Chrysomus ruficapillus
Medium-sized blackbird found in marshes, wet grasslands, and occasionally agricultural areas. Males are mostly black with a chestnut forehead, crown and throat. Females are dark brown above with faint streaks and olive-brown below with a buff throat. Highly gregarious, may gather in huge groups of up to 1000 individuals.
Identification
The chestnut-capped blackbird is sexually dimorphic. It has a straight dark-coloured beak with a sharp tip, and dark legs. The male has a chestnut-coloured head and throat but is otherwise glossy black; birds in the southern part of the range have darker heads than those in the north. The upper parts of the female are a dark olive-brown, slightly streaked with black, and the underparts are paler olive-brown; the streaking on the back of this species is less distinct than in other birds in this genus. The voice consists of various trills and whistles, the song being a lengthy "chree-chree-churrr".
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Chrysomus ruficapillus
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1819)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Icteridae
- Genus
- Chrysomus
Range and habitat
The chestnut-capped blackbird is found in the tropical and semi-tropical eastern part of South America at altitudes of up to 850 metres (2,800 ft). Its range covers much of the Amazon Basin and extends from northern Brazil to northern Argentina. It is found in the vicinity of water, in marshes, in nearby grassland and in rice fields.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Chestnut-winged Hookbill
Ancistrops strigilatus
Streaky canopy foliage-gleaner with a slightly hooked bill tip. Light buffy brown overall with extensive streaking from the head down to the back and breast, with reddish wings and tail. Forages in the midstory and canopy with mixed species flocks, keeping its body horizontal as it clambers along branches. Most common in upland forest, where it can be the most common foliage-gleaner in canopy mixed species flocks, but can also occasionally be found in mature forest in seasonally flooded areas.
Band-tailed Pigeon
Patagioenas fasciata
Large dove found in mature montane forests from the western U.S. and Canada into Middle and South America. Soft blue-gray above and unique purplish-gray below, with white crescent on the nape. Yellow feet. Bill is yellow with black tip in northern populations, all yellow in southern ones. Forms large flocks in coniferous forests and montane areas where it feeds on seeds and fruits. When it takes off, wings make loud clapping sound.
Rufous-crowned Prinia
Prinia khasiana
Very long-tailed prinia of hilly and montane areas, descending to foothills in winter. Note rufous crown, warm brown upperparts and sides, and gray cheeks and pale belly. Breeding adult’s white moustache stripe, black throat and chest are unmistakable. Non-breeding has prominent white brow, pale throat, and finely streaked chest. Favors scrubby, open areas. Non-breeding plumage somewhat similar to Striated Prinia, but Rufous-crowned has unstreaked upperparts and white eyebrow. Song is a repetitive series of “plik” notes. Call is a mournful, descending “piuu”.
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