The yellow-billed cacique is a species of cacique in the family Icteridae. It belongs to the monotypic genus Amblycercus. There is some question as to whether or not it is a true cacique.
Region
Central America and northern South America
Typical Environment
Found from southern Mexico through much of Central America to western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador, with scattered populations in suitable lowlands and foothills. It favors dense second-growth, riparian thickets, forest edges, and overgrown plantations. The species is particularly associated with tangled viney understory and bamboo, where it can forage under cover. It adapts to semi-open habitats provided there is thick shrubbery for concealment.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The yellow-billed cacique is the sole member of the genus Amblycercus and differs from typical caciques by being less colonial and more secretive. Its striking lemon-yellow bill contrasts with its silky black plumage, making it distinctive even in dense cover. It often keeps to shadowy thickets, where it moves deliberately and is heard more often than seen.
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense cover
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups rather than large colonies. Nests are placed in dense vegetation and are not the long, pendant type typical of many caciques. Breeding is solitary or loosely spaced, with both parents participating in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers rich, mellow whistles interspersed with harsher notes and chatters. Vocalizations carry through thickets, often revealing the bird before it is seen.
Plumage
Silky, uniform dark plumage with a subtle bluish gloss; tail appears long and slightly graduated.
Diet
Omnivorous, taking insects, spiders, and other arthropods gleaned from foliage and bark. Also consumes various fruits and small berries, and may occasionally take small vertebrates or eggs. Forages methodically, probing and prying with its strong bill.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory, vine tangles, and along forest edges and riparian thickets. Will enter overgrown gardens and shaded plantations where cover is abundant.
