Category: Icteridae

HOW DO BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS (MOLOTHRUS ATER)CAUSE NEST FAILURES IN SONG SPARROWS (MELOSPIZAMELODIA)? A REMOVAL EXPERIMENT

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Science Article 8 abstract A removal experiment was conducted to measure how much and by whatmechanisms brood parasitic Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) cause nest failures in acommonly used host, the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). When numbers of female cowbirdswere reduced experimentally, nest failures fell from 65.0% (n = 663 nests) to […]

UNSUITABILITY OF TREE SWALLOWS AS HOSTS TO BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Science Article 21 abstract Swallows are parasitized rarely by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). I added cowbird eggs to 15 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nests. One egg disappeared and seven failed to hatch whereas 63 of 66 host eggs hatched. The seven cowbird hatchlings died in 3-12 (mean = 6.3) d, whereas […]

RECENT SPECIATION BETWEEN THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE ANDTHE BLACK-BACKED ORIOLE

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) Science Article 1 abstract A recent phylogenetic survey of the New World orioles (genus Icterus; Omland et al. 1999) suggested that the Baltimore Oriole (I. galbula) and the Black-backed Oriole (I. abeillei) are sister taxa. That survey examined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from a single representative of each species in the genus. […]

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Icteridae | [latin] Sturnella neglecta | [UK] Western Meadowlark | [FR] Stournelle de l’Oest | [DE] Wiesenstarling | [ES] Triguera de Occidente | [NL] Geelkaakweidespreeuw Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Xanthocephalus neglecta Sturnella neglecta NA, MA w Physical charateristics In grassy country, a chunky […]

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Icteridae | [latin] Icterus galbula | [UK] Baltimore Oriole | [FR] Oriole orange | [DE] Baltimoretrupial | [ES] Bolsero de Baltimore | [NL] Baltimore-troepiaal Subspecies Monotypic species Physical charateristics Approaches size of Starling with rather similar bill and head shape but much longer body and rather long, slightly rounded tail. Colourful, […]

Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Icteridae | [latin] Quiscalus mexicanus | [UK] Great-tailed Grackle | [FR] Grand Quiscale | [DE] Dohlengrackel | [ES] Zanate mexicano | [NL] Langstaarttroepiaal Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Quiscalus mexicanus NA, LA s USA through w, n SA Quiscalus mexicanus graysoni Quiscalus mexicanus loweryi […]

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Icteridae | [latin] Agelaius phoeniceus | [UK] Red-winged Blackbird | [FR] Carouge a epaulettes | [DE] Rotschulter-Starling | [ES] Tordo alirrojo | [NL] Epauletspreeuw Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Agelaius phoeniceus NA, MA widespread Agelaius phoeniceus aciculatus Agelaius phoeniceus arctolegus Agelaius phoeniceus arthuralleni Agelaius […]

Audubons Oriole (Icterus graduacauda)

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Icteridae | [latin] Icterus graduacauda | [UK] Audubons Oriole | [FR] Oriole d’Audubon | [DE] Schwarzkopf-Trupial | [ES] Bolsero cabeza negra | [NL] Zwartkoptroepiaal Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Icterus graduacauda NA, MA s Texas, Mexico Icterus graduacauda audubonii Icterus graduacauda dickeyae Icterus graduacauda […]