Scarlet-headed Blackbird
Amblyramphus holosericeus
A stunning blackbird with a sharply-pointed bill. The mostly black body contrasts with a bright orange-red head, breast, and thighs. Inhabits marshes with tall and dense vegetation. In the nonbreeding season, gathers in big flocks of up to 100 individuals. The call is a loud descending whistled “fee-ee-ee,” generally given from an exposed perch.
Identification
This species is about 24 cm long. The bill is oddly shaped: long, slender, and very sharp, looking almost upturned. Adults of both sexes are described by their name. Juveniles have entirely black plumage; orange-red feathers first appear on their breast and throat, later spreading to the neck, head, and thighs. The song is given as "loud, clear, and melodic, a ringing 'cleer-cleer-clur, clulululu'." Calls are simpler but have a similar quality.<p>Scarlet-headed blackbirds occur in pairs in large reed beds in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil; Bolivia has an isolated population living at an altitudes of about 600 m. They often perch conspicuously on top of stems. They are uncommon, particularly away from the coast.<p>They eat mainly fruit, supplementing it with seeds and invertebrates, especially insects. They use their bill as a hammer to open food items.<p>Scarlet-headed blackbirds are monogamous, and territories are grouped together. The nest is an open cup placed in the crotch of a shrub or woven into vegetation, in which they lay two eggs.
Taxonomy
Genus: Amblyramphus; Family: Icteridae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Amblyramphus holosericeus
- Authority
- (Scopoli, 1786)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Icteridae
- Genus
- Amblyramphus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Heterospingus rubrifrons
Drab medium-gray tanager with lemon-yellow rump. Also look for fluffy white patch at the side of the breast, just under the bend of the wing. Fairly thick bill. Sexes alike. Usually seen in the forest canopy with mixed-species flocks, often in pairs.
Black-eared Shrike-Babbler
Pteruthius melanotis
Colorful small bird with a cartoonish large-eyed appearance. Luminous yellow underparts, yellow-green upperparts, and dark rust-colored throat are present in both sexes, but female is slightly paler and not as strongly marked as the male. Overall can be very similar to Clicking and Trilling Shrike-Babblers, but lacks any reddish coloration on the forehead, has a more extensive silvery brow and nape, and is darker overall. Inhabits foothill and montane forests, where it joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Song is high-pitched, rapid, and repetitive: “tweeweeweeweeweeweewee.”
Blue-winged Macaw
Primolius maracana
Fairly small macaw with a bare white face that contrasts with its dark bill. It has a small red forehead, which can be quite difficult to see, a blue crown, and a red belly. The flight feathers are striking blue. Usually seen in pairs or small groups at forest edges, palm groves, and open woodlands. The flight call is a mellow “graaaa.”
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