Melodious blackbird

Overview

Wikipedia

The melodious blackbird is a New World tropical bird.

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Distribution

Region

Mesoamerica

Typical Environment

Found from eastern and southern Mexico through much of Central America, with recent expansion into Costa Rica and western Panama. It favors open and semi-open habitats including second growth, plantations, pastures, and urban parks. The species readily uses edge habitats and scrubby fields, often near human settlements. Moist lowlands and foothills are typical, but it can reach mid-elevations where suitable open cover exists.

Altitude Range

0–1500 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size24–27 cm

Wing Span36–40 cm

Male Weight0.09 kg

Female Weight0.075 kg

Life Expectancy8 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The melodious blackbird is a New World icterid known for its rich, whistled song, often delivered from exposed perches in towns and farmland. Both sexes sing, and the species has expanded its range southward in recent decades, thriving in human-altered landscapes. Its uniform glossy-black plumage can cause confusion with grackles, but it is smaller with a more musical voice.

Gallery

Adult bird in Belize

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with direct, low flights between perches

Social Behavior

Usually seen in pairs or small groups, often conspicuous around human habitation. Builds a cup-shaped nest in low trees or shrubs; both sexes may contribute to territorial displays. They frequently perch prominently to sing and to survey for food and intruders.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A loud, rich series of fluty whistles and clear, musical phrases, often repeated and varied. Both sexes vocalize, and singing is common at dawn and throughout the day from exposed perches.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Melodious warbler

The melodious warbler is an Old World warbler in the tree warbler genus Hippolais. It breeds in southwest Europe and northwest Africa. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. This small passerine bird is a species found in open woodland with bushes. Three to five eggs are laid in a nest in a tree or a bush. This is a common bird in many parts of its wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Menetries's warbler

Menetries's warbler or Ménétries's warbler is a small passerine bird of Southwest Asia belonging to the genus Curruca. The name of the species commemorates Édouard Ménétries, the French zoologist who described the species in 1832. It is closely related to the Sardinian warbler of the Mediterranean basin and is similar to it in appearance.

Meratus blue flycatcher

The Meratus blue flycatcher is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. The species was described in 2021 by the Indonesian ornithologist Mohammed Irham and his colleagues, based on genetic, morphological, and vocal differences with other Cyornis flycatchers. It is endemic to the Meratus Mountains of Indonesian Borneo, where it has been recorded only from Mount Besar. It is most common at elevations between 900 and 1,300 m and inhabits montane rainforest, secondary forest, and rubber plantations. It is sexually dimorphic like other species in its genus; males have blue upperparts, iridescent blue patches on the forehead and shoulders, and orange-and-white underparts, while females have gray-brown heads and upperparts. They have a length of 15.7–16.0 cm (6.2–6.3 in); males weigh 18.5–19.75 g (0.653–0.697 oz) and females weigh 15.75–20.0 g (0.556–0.705 oz).

Meratus white-eye

The Meratus white-eye is a species of bird in the white-eye family, Zosteropidae. The species was described in 2021 by the Indonesian ornithologist Mohammed Irham and his colleagues based on genetic, morphological, and vocal differences from other Zosterops white-eyes. It is endemic to the Meratus Mountains of Indonesian Borneo, where it has been observed on Mount Besar and Mount Karokangen. It inhabits the mid and lower storeys of closed-canopy montane forests at elevations between 1,300 and 1,650 m. It is a typical Zosterops white-eye, with deep olive-green upperparts, yellower underparts, a yellow stripe across the lores, and a distinctive bicoloured bill. Adults have a length of around 11–12 cm (4.3–4.7 in) and a mass of 8.5–9.5 g (0.30–0.34 oz). Both sexes look alike.