Crested Oropendola
Psarocolius decumanus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyIcteridae (New World Blackbirds and Orioles)
- GenusPsarocolius (Oropendolas)
- SpeciesPsarocolius decumanus (Crested Oropendola)
About the Crested Oropendola
The crested oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus), also known as the cornbird, is a species of bird in the family Icteridae, the oropendolas, New World orioles, and New World blackbirds. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay. It is "[u]ndoubtedly overall the commonest and most widespread oropendola".
The crested oropendola was formally described in 1769 with the binomial Xanthornis decumanus. Some authors placed it in genus Ostinops before it was assigned to its present Psarocolius. The crested oropendola's further taxonomy is unsettled. The IOC, the Clements taxonomy, and AviList assign it these four subspecies:
P. d. melanterus (Todd, 1917) P. d. insularis (Dalmas, 1900) P. d. decumanus (Pallas, 1769) P. d. maculosus (Chapman, 1920) However, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) does not recognize P. d. maculosus but includes it within P. d. decumanus. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Birds of the World states that DNA data do not support P. d. maculosus as a defined subspecies but does include its description and range in its species account... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Darién National Park
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Psarocolius wagleri
Black Oropendola
Psarocolius guatimozinus
Russet-backed Oropendola
Psarocolius angustifrons
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Cacicus cela
Shiny Cowbird
Molothrus bonariensis
Orange-crowned Oriole
Icterus auricapillus
Giant Cowbird
Molothrus oryzivorus
Red-breasted Blackbird
Sturnella militaris
Carib Grackle
Quiscalus lugubris
Yellow-backed Oriole
Icterus chrysater
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Crested Oropendola in Darién National Park?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Oropendola sighting in Darién National Park, based on 1,659 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Crested Oropendola in Darién National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Crested Oropendola in Darién National Park in our monthly data.