The tawny-shouldered blackbird is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in Cuba and Hispaniola. It is a vagrant in the United States.
Region
Caribbean
Typical Environment
Occurs across much of Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), occupying open woodlands, scrub, mangroves, pastures, plantations, and urban edges. It favors mosaic landscapes with scattered trees and shrubs, hedgerows, and field margins. The species adapts well to human-altered environments, often frequenting sugarcane and other crop fields. Vagrants occasionally reach the Florida Keys and southern Florida.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for the warm tawny patch on its shoulders, this blackbird is a familiar resident of open habitats in Cuba and Hispaniola. It often forages in small flocks in agricultural areas, where it eats both crop seeds and insect pests. Males display by puffing the shoulder patch during songs and chases. It is an occasional vagrant to the United States, especially southern Florida.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
direct flight with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Often forms small flocks outside the breeding season and forages in loose groups in fields and edges. During breeding, pairs may nest semi-colonially in shrubs or small trees, building open cup nests. Males display by lifting the shoulders to show the tawny patch and chasing rivals. Both sexes may defend the immediate nest area.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song consists of harsh, metallic notes and short buzzing phrases, sometimes interspersed with thin whistles. Calls include sharp chack and chatter used to keep contact in flocks.
