Green Oropendola
Psarocolius viridis
Large, stocky bird. Green-and-chestnut plumage can look mostly black under some conditions and at a distance. Note size, yellow tail, and deep, rowing wingbeats. Reliably distinguished from other green-plumaged oropendolas by pale green-and-red bill. Found in rainforest canopy and edges as well as along rivers, in villages, and in savanna woodlands. Groups move noisily through the forest canopy in search of fruit and flowers. Large flocks are sometimes seen commuting between roosting and feeding areas. Distinctive song of male can be heard at a great distance.
Identification
The male green oropendola grows to a length of about 43 cm (17 in) and the female about 37 cm (14.6 in). The head, breast and back are pale olive green, the wings are greyish-green, and the rump and underparts are chestnut. The central feathers of the tail are black and the outer ones yellow. The beak has an orange tip, and its base and the adjoining areas of skin are yellowish. The irises are pale blue and there is an inconspicuous crest on the back of the head.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Psarocolius viridis
- Authority
- (Müller, PLS, 1776)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Icteridae
- Genus
- Psarocolius
Range and habitat
P. viridis has a very wide distribution in the tropical rainforests of South America. Its range includes Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
This bird usually moves through the forest canopy in mixed species flocks. It is an omnivore, foraging for fruits and insects among the leaves and branches. By consuming whole fruits, it acts as a seed disperser. It is one of several birds that follow small groups of red-throated caracara (Ibycter americanus) through the canopy. The caracaras are specialist predators of wasp nests, and the oropendolas have been observed following the group for several hours, feeding independently and not necessarily at the same level in the canopy nor on the same items of diet.<p>Green oropendolas are gregarious, colonial birds and build long, bag-shaped nests that dangle from the branches of a tree. The birds are polygamous. The nests of green oropendolas are sometimes parasitised by the giant cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) which lays its eggs in their nests.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Galapagos Shearwater
Puffinus subalaris
Very small black-and-white shearwater of warm tropical waters. Can be seen from shore off the coast of Oaxaca. Often in flocks, sometimes of thousands, resting on the water and in feeding flocks with Brown Boobies, Black Terns, and other shearwaters. Flight quick and low, with hurried wingbeats and only short glides. Smaller and shorter-winged than Black-vented Shearwater and rare Townsend’s Shearwater. Black-vented has messier brown colors on the side of its head, without distinct dark cap of Galapagos. Townsend’s is blacker above with white patches (saddlebags) at sides of rump.
Olive-flanked Robin-Chat
Dessonornis anomalus
Dark, compact robin-chat with the least orange of any member of this group. There is considerable geographical variation, but always shows a pale eyebrow and throat, and some rufous on the belly, flanks, rump, and tail. The color of the underparts varies from blackish to white to buff, and the color of the upperparts from black to gray to brown. Some populations show a strongly black-and-orange tail, while others have a tail that is completely rufous. Found in the understory of montane forest. Generally uncommon and skulking. The variable song consists of a mournful, descending series of whistles.
Green-fronted Hanging-Parrot
Loriculus tener
A very small, thick-set, stub-tailed parrot. Entirely green with a small red throat patch. Female has a light blue facial crescent. In flight, bright blue underwing is diagnostic. Resident in lowland forest, most often seen in flight. Similar to Finsch’s Pygmy Parrot but much brighter, with vibrant green coloration and, in flight, a stronger blue underwing. Commonly gives a very high-pitched repeated “tse-tse-tse” on the wing.
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