Russet-backed Oropendola
Encyclopedia
The Russet-backed Oropendola (Psarocolius angustifrons) is a species of bird
in the Icteridae family. It is found in wooded habitat
s in the highlands of the northern and central Andes
and the Venezuelan Coastal Range
, and in lowlands of the western Amazon
. It is generally common and widespread. Males are larger than females, but otherwise the genders are similar. Its plumage
is mainly olive and brown, and the outer rectrices are contrastingly yellow. The lowland nominate subspecies has a black bill, while the highland subspecies
all have pale bills
. These have been regarded as separate species, but as they hybridize freely, all major authorities now regard them as a single species.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Icteridae family. It is found in wooded habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s in the highlands of the northern and central Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and the Venezuelan Coastal Range
Venezuelan Coastal Range
The Venezuelan Coastal Range is a mountain range that runs along the central and eastern portions of Venezuela's northern coast...
, and in lowlands of the western Amazon
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
. It is generally common and widespread. Males are larger than females, but otherwise the genders are similar. Its plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is mainly olive and brown, and the outer rectrices are contrastingly yellow. The lowland nominate subspecies has a black bill, while the highland subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
all have pale bills
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
. These have been regarded as separate species, but as they hybridize freely, all major authorities now regard them as a single species.