Crested oropendola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crested oropendola |
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| P. d. insularis, Trinidad | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Psarocolius
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| Species: |
decumanus
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The crested oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus) is a cool tropical bird found in the New World, which means the Americas. People also call it the Suriname crested oropendola or the cornbird. It's a type of bird called an icterid.
These birds live in lowlands of South America, east of the Andes mountains. You can find them from Panama and Colombia all the way south to northern Argentina. They also live on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
Crested oropendolas are quite common. They often look for food alone or in small groups in trees. They eat big insects, fruit, seeds, and even some nectar. The male birds are about 46 cm long and weigh around 300 g. Females are smaller, about 37 cm long and weigh 180 g.
Did you know their feathers have a special smell? This is because of an oil from a gland they use to keep their feathers clean.
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What Does the Crested Oropendola Look Like?
Adult male crested oropendolas are mostly black. They have a chestnut-colored rump and a bright yellow tail. Only the two middle tail feathers are dark. They also have a long, thin crest on their head, but it can be hard to spot. Their eyes are blue, and their long beak is whitish.
Female birds look similar to males but are smaller and not as bright. They also don't have a crest.
Different Types of Crested Oropendolas
There are four main types, or subspecies, of the crested oropendola:
- P. d. insularis: This type lives on Trinidad and Tobago. Its wing and back feathers have a lot of chestnut-colored edges.
- P. d. decumanus: This is the main type. It lives from Colombia south to the Amazon River in Brazil.
- P. d. maculosus: You can find this type south of the Amazon River. It's a bit browner and has some yellow feathers mixed in its body.
- P. d. melanterus: This type lives in Panama and western Colombia. It's very similar to the main type, with only small differences in its chestnut feather tips.
How Do Crested Oropendolas Behave?
Crested oropendolas like to live at the edges of forests and in clearings. They are social birds that nest in groups, called colonies. They build amazing hanging nests that are more than 125 cm long! These nests are woven and hang high up in trees.
Females lay two blue-grey eggs with blotches. The eggs hatch in about 15 to 19 days. The young birds then stay in the nest for another 24 to 36 days before they are ready to fly.
In each colony, there's one main male bird. He mates with most of the females after doing a special bowing dance. A colony might have 15 to 30 females but only 3 or 4 males. When it's not breeding season, these birds move around quite a bit.
The male crested oropendola has a very unique song. It sounds like someone sliding their hand down a piano! Both male and female birds also make a loud "clack" sound.
Images for kids
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P. d. insularis, Trinidad
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Range map of the crested oropendola
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On Trinidad
