Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds

The Icteridae family, commonly known as New World blackbirds, encompasses a variety of small to medium-sized colorful passerine birds, including blackbirds, orioles, bobolinks, meadowlarks, grackles, cowbirds, oropendolas, and caciques. These birds exhibit a predominant black plumage with touches of yellow, orange, or red and are named from the Greek word for 'jaundiced ones' due to their yellow feathers. They can be found across the New World, with the highest densities in Colombia and southern Mexico, and their habitats range from scrublands and swamps to forests and savannas. Their sizes and behaviors are diverse, with significant sexual dimorphism in many species, and they showcase unique adaptations such as the ability to forcefully open their bills to access food. Icterids have varied diets from fruit and nectar to seeds and insects, with some species having become agricultural pests. Their nesting habits are equally diverse, from woven nests to colonial nesting, with some species like cowbirds practicing brood parasitism. Although some icterids are thriving, others are threatened due to habitat loss and other factors. Despite the family's name, they are distinct from Old World blackbirds and orioles, and are not to be confused with the recently established family Icteriidae, consisting solely of the yellow-breasted chat. Additionally, some species have cultural significance in Native American folklore, and the family has a rich taxonomy with numerous genera and species.