Birds of The World: BLACKBIRDs

ICTERIDAE of The World

The Icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful birds, restricted to the New World. Most species have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The majority of icterid species live in the tropics, although there are a number of temperate forms. They inhabit a range of habitats, including scrub, swamp, forest, and savannah. Temperate species are migratory. Icterids are variable in size, and often display considerable sexual dimorphism. Their size varies 15-52 cm. One unusual adaptation shared is they can open their bills strongly rather than passively, allowing them to force open gaps to obtain otherwise hidden food. Some use their gaping motion to open the skins of fruit to obtain the soft insides, and have long bills adapted to the process. Others such as cowbirds have shorter stubbier bills for crushing seeds. Orioles will drink nectar. The nesting habits of these birds are similarly variable. [abstracted from Wikipedia]

Blackbirds

Order Passeriformes Family Icteridae

These blackbirds are not to be confused with the European blackbird Turdus merula which is called Blackbird. The New World blackbirds have a a diet of mainly seeds and insects, with seeds usually being predominant. The males are mostly dark with often some colorful patches. The females are drab and some resemble New World sparrows.

Genus Agelaius

Blackbird, Red-winged Agelaius phoeniceus Found: North America, Central America
Photographed by:   1, 3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 2) Alan D WIlson 4, 5) Dick Daniels - Ontario 6) Dick - Ontario
1, 2) Male 3) Juvenile male 4, 5, 6) Female

Blackbird, Tricolored Agelaius tricolor   Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Tsuru8 2) Charlie Westerinen - Soldier Hollow, Utah, USA

Blackbird, Unicolored Agelaius cyanopus Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Gustavo Durán - Argentenia 3) Lip Kee Yap - Argentenia
1, 2, 3) Female

Blackbird, Yellow-shouldered Agelaius xanthomus Endemic to Puerto Rico. Closely related to the red-winged blackbird.
Photographed by: 1, 2) Mike Morel / USFWS - Puerto Rico

Blackbird, Yellow-winged Agelaius thilius Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3, 4) Claudio Timm - Brazil 5) dFaulder - Costanera Sur Nature Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1, 2) Female 3, 4, 5) Male

Genus Amblyramphus - 1 species

Blackbird, Scarlet-headed Amblyramphus holosericeus Found: southern South Amercia
Photographed by: 1) Ken Erickson 2) Claudio Timm - Brazil

Genus Chrysomus

Blackbird, Chestnut-capped Chrysomus ruficapillus Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3, 7) Claudio Timm    4, 5) dFaulder - Argentina 6) Dario Sanches
1) Juvenile maloe 2) Female (white not usual) 4 - 7) Male

Blackbird, Yellow-hooded Chrysomus icterocephalus Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Trisha Shears   2) Darren Bellerby - Jurong Bird Park, Singapore 3) Laura Gooch
1, 2) Male 3) Female

Genus Euphagus

Blackbird, Brewer's Euphagus cyanocephalus Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Alan D Wilson - Two Jacks Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta 2) Dick Daniels - California
    3, 6) Elaine R Wilson at Esquimalt Lagoon, Colwood, Near Victoria, British Columbia 4) Alan Vernon   5) Dick - Wyoming
1) Juvenile 2, 3) Male 4, 5, 6) Male

Blackbird, Rusty Euphagus carolinus Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Mdf - Algonquin Provincial Park, Canada   2, 3) Dick Daniels - Southport, North Carolina

Genus Gnorimopsar - 1 species

Blackbird, Chopi Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Beatrice Murch - Iguazu National Park, Argentina 2) Claudio Timm - Brazil

Genus Xanthocephalus - 1 species

Blackbird, Yellow-headed Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Alan D Wilson  near Diamond, Oregon 2) Phil Norton of the US Fish and Wildlife Servic
    3) Dave Minke of the Fish and Wildlife Service
1, 2) Female 3) Male

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