A spectacular, large bird with an "unforgettable" song given by the male during his courtship dance, consisting of a bowing display accompanied by a conversational bubbling and loud gurgles!
Meet Montezuma oropendola
Photo Courtesy of Andy Morffew / CC BY 2.0 The Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius Montezuma), is a New World tropical icterid bird.The male of this species is 50 cm long and weighs in at 520 grams, sporting a mainly chestnut body with a black head and rump. The tale is bright yellow with two dark central feathers.
Females look similar to males though they are smaller at 38 cm long, weighing 230 grams, and have a smaller wattle.
Juveniles are duller than their adult counterparts and have a paler and less demarcated bill.
This bird is resident to, and breeds in Caribbean coastal lowlands from southeastern Mexico to central Panama, while being absent in El Salvador and southern Guatemala.
Montezuma Oropendola likes to live in the forest canopy, along forested edges and old plantations.
These birds can often be seen foraging in large flocks in trees hunting for small vertebrates, large insects, fruit, and nectar.
Photo Courtesy of Kathy & sam – Uploaded by snowmanradio / CC BY 2.
Photo Courtesy of berniedup / CC BY-SA 2.0Due to a large range and stable population the Montezuma Ordonpendola is listed as of Least Concern On the IUCN list of species.