Melodious Blackbird
Encyclopedia
The Melodious Blackbird, Dives dives, is a New World
tropical icterid bird
. It is a resident breeder from coastal eastern and southeastern Mexico
to Costa Rica
. Its range is expanding. El Salvador
was colonised in the 1950s, and eastern Guatemala
in the 1960s. Prior to 1989 there was only one Costa Rican record, but it is now easily seen at least as far south as San José
, and it is expected to colonise Panama
.
The adult Melodious Blackbird is a medium-sized icterid with a rounded tail. The male is 25.5 cm long and weighs 108 g. The slightly smaller female is 23 cm long and weighs 95 g. The adult plumage is entirely black with a bluish gloss, and the bill legs and feet are also black. The iris is brown. Females are identically plumaged to the males, but young birds are brownish black and lack iridescence. There are no subspecies.
The song is a duet between pairs, with a see note, followed by a whit and a Northern Cardinal
-like whistle. The call is a metallic puitt.
The Melodious Blackbird inhabits a wide range of habitats, but avoids dense forest and thick undergrowth. It has adapted to human habitation and can be seen in gardens and on lawns. The Melodious Blackbird forages mainly on the ground for insect
s, but will also take nectar and ripening maize
ears, as well as other plantstuffs such as the fruits of Gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba) and Trophis racemosa (Moraceae
).
Breeding birds are highly territorial, and adults will attack predators like the Brown Jay
, but small flocks form outside the nesting season
. A breeding pair will give a display in which each bird spreads its tail, extends its wings, and ruffles its plumage.
Both sexes build a cup nest of plant material 3–7 m high in a bush or tree and line it with mud and dung. The female lays 3-4 brown-blotched blue eggs, which she incubates alone, although the male helps with feeding the chicks. This species is not known to be parasitised
by cowbird
s, which presumably has also contributed to its success.
This species has benefitted from deforestation
, which has allowed its rapid range expansion through creation of suitable habitat.
The natives of Guatemala had a ritual in which they trapped a Melodious Blackbird, a mouse
and a grasshopper
, and warned them of dire consequences if they continued to damage crops. The three animals were then released to spread the news.
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
tropical icterid bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
. It is a resident breeder from coastal eastern and southeastern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. Its range is expanding. El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
was colonised in the 1950s, and eastern Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
in the 1960s. Prior to 1989 there was only one Costa Rican record, but it is now easily seen at least as far south as San José
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
, and it is expected to colonise Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
.
The adult Melodious Blackbird is a medium-sized icterid with a rounded tail. The male is 25.5 cm long and weighs 108 g. The slightly smaller female is 23 cm long and weighs 95 g. The adult plumage is entirely black with a bluish gloss, and the bill legs and feet are also black. The iris is brown. Females are identically plumaged to the males, but young birds are brownish black and lack iridescence. There are no subspecies.
The song is a duet between pairs, with a see note, followed by a whit and a Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal or Redbird or Common Cardinal is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico...
-like whistle. The call is a metallic puitt.
The Melodious Blackbird inhabits a wide range of habitats, but avoids dense forest and thick undergrowth. It has adapted to human habitation and can be seen in gardens and on lawns. The Melodious Blackbird forages mainly on the ground for insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, but will also take nectar and ripening maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
ears, as well as other plantstuffs such as the fruits of Gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba) and Trophis racemosa (Moraceae
Moraceae
Moraceae — often called the mulberry family or fig family — are a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates...
).
Breeding birds are highly territorial, and adults will attack predators like the Brown Jay
Brown Jay
The Brown Jay is a large American Jay which has the habitus of a magpie, but is slightly smaller and with a shorter tail, though the bill is larger.It occurs from Mexico south into Central America on the Gulf slope...
, but small flocks form outside the nesting season
Nesting season
The nesting season is the time of year during which birds and some other animals, particularly some reptiles, build nests, lay eggs in them, and in most cases bring up their young. It is usually in the spring....
. A breeding pair will give a display in which each bird spreads its tail, extends its wings, and ruffles its plumage.
Both sexes build a cup nest of plant material 3–7 m high in a bush or tree and line it with mud and dung. The female lays 3-4 brown-blotched blue eggs, which she incubates alone, although the male helps with feeding the chicks. This species is not known to be parasitised
Brood parasite
Brood parasites are organisms that use the strategy of brood parasitism, a kind of kleptoparasitism found among birds, fish or insects, involving the manipulation and use of host individuals either of the same or different species to raise the young of the brood-parasite...
by cowbird
Cowbird
Cowbirds are birds belonging to the genus Molothrus in the family Icteridae. They are brood parasitic New World birds which are unrelated to the Old World cuckoos, one of which, the Common Cuckoo, is the best-known brood parasitic bird....
s, which presumably has also contributed to its success.
This species has benefitted from deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
, which has allowed its rapid range expansion through creation of suitable habitat.
The natives of Guatemala had a ritual in which they trapped a Melodious Blackbird, a mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
and a grasshopper
Grasshopper
The grasshopper is an insect of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. To distinguish it from bush crickets or katydids, it is sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshopper...
, and warned them of dire consequences if they continued to damage crops. The three animals were then released to spread the news.
External links
- Melodious Blackbird videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Melodious Blackbird photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res
- Photo; Article birdguatemala
