Icterid
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The Icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most species have black as a predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The name, meaning "jaundiced ones" (from the prominent yellow feathers of many species) comes from the Ancient Greek ikteros, through the Latin ictericus.
This group includes such popular forms as the New World blackbirds, New World
orioles, the
Despite the similar names, the first groups are not related to the Old World Blackbird (a thrush, Turdidae), or the Old World orioles (Oriolidae).
Systematics
FAMILY ICTERIDAE
- Genus
Dolichonyx - Bobolink - Genus Agelaius - Typical American blackbirds (11 species)
- Genus Nesopsar - Jamaican Blackbird
- Genus Sturnella - meadowlarks (7 species)
- Genus Xanthocephalus - Yellow-headed Blackbird
- Genus Dives (3 species)
- Genus Euphagus (2 species)
- Genus Quiscalus - true grackles (5 living species, 1 recently extinct)
- Genus Agelaioides - Bay-winged Cowbird (formerly in Molothrus)
- Genus Molothrus - true cowbirds (5 species, includes Scaphidura)
- Genus Icterus - New World orioles (25-30 species)
- Genus Amblycercus - Yellow-billed Cacique
- Genus Ocyalus - Band-tailed Oropendola (might include Clypicterus)
- Genus Clypicterus - Casqued Oropendola
- Genus Cacicus - true caciques (10 species)
- Genus Psarocolius - true oropendolas (about 10 species, includes Gymnostinops)
- Genus Gymnomystax - Oriole Blackbird
- Genus Pseudoleistes - marshbirds (2 species)
- Genus Amblyramphus - Scarlet-headed Blackbird
- Genus Hypopyrrhus - Red-bellied Grackle
- Genus Curaeus (2 species)
- Genus Gnorimopsar - Chopi Blackbird
- Genus Oreopsar - Bolivian Blackbird
- Genus Lampropsar - Velvet-fronted Grackle
- Genus Macroagelaius (2 species)
Prehistoric icterid genera that have been described from fossil remains are Pandanaris from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea and Pyelorhamphus from Shelter Cave.
References
- Jaramillo, Alvaro & Burke, Peter (1999): New World Blackbirds. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-4333-1
- Price, J. Jordan & Lanyon, Scott M. (2002): A robust phylogeny of the oropendolas: Polyphyly revealed by mitochondrial sequence data. Auk 119(2): 335–348. DOI: 10.1642/0004-8038(2002)119[0335:ARPOTO]2.0.CO;2 PDF fulltext
External links
- Icterid videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Icteridae at the Tree of Life Web Project
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
