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*YELLOW-BILLED CACIQUE  Amblycercus holosericeus 21–26cm, male>​

female. Skulking and furtive in second growth and bamboo thickets, forest

edge. Usually in pairs, moving deliberatively at low to mid-levels hidden in

cover; often seen flying low across roads and trails; sometimes attends army ant

swarms. Note habits, pale ivory bill, staring pale yellow eyes. Juv. has dark eyes,

sootier plumage, soon like adult, but imm. eyes pale grayish for a few months

(mainly Aug–Oct), cf. Scarlet-rumped Cacique if rump not seen. SOUNDS: Calls

include short series of (usually 3–7) slightly gruff, crowing notes, often with

slightly laughing cadence, yeh-yeh…or shehr shehr..., 4–5 notes/sec; a gruff nasal

yahnk or ah’nk ah’nk. Song a measured chant of (usually 2–8) rich, whistled, 2–3-syllable phrases, 1

phrase/1–1.5 secs, such as heeu hih, heeu hih…or hoóee-hwee, hoóee-hwee..., often overlapped by a slightly

descending chattering rattle from mate, hew chrrrrrrrrr, 4–5 secs. STATUS: Fairly common, locally to

3000m. (Mexico to S America.)

MELODIOUS BLACKBIRD  Dives dives 23–28cm, male>female. Often con­

spicuous in varied open and semi-open habitats, especially tree-scattered

pastures. In pairs or small groups, feeding mainly on ground where walks con­

fidently; associates readily with grackles. Often flicks tail up sharply, at times

accompanied by whistles. Flight slightly hesitant or jerky, not steady and direct.

Best identified by shape, habits, voice. Note medium size, sharply pointed bill;

‘velvet’ plumage of face and neck apparent at close range. Cf. Shiny Cowbird.

Juv. duller overall, soon like adult. SOUNDS:  Varied, often 2-note piercing

whistles, including wh’chieuh or whi’chieh, 2nd part downslurred; and clipped,

clear whistled wh’dieeh, both often in short series; sharp weet! or piik! sometimes repeated persistently

when agitated. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common on both slopes, locally to 2400m; first recorded

Costa Rica in 1987 and has spread rapidly with deforestation. (Mexico to w. Panama.)

GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE  Quiscalus mexicanus Male 40–47cm, female 29–

34cm. Conspicuous and noisy in ranchland, agricultural land, open country

with scattered trees, hedgerows, towns and urban areas, mangroves, lakeshores;

often near water. Feeds mainly on ground, at times in flocks of 100s; roosts

communally and noisily in trees, often in town parks where 1000s may gather.

Distinctive in most of range, but in flight cf. Giant Cowbird, and around Lake

Nicaragua cf. smaller Nicaraguan Grackle. Juv. appreciably paler below than

female, soon attains adult-like plumage. SOUNDS:  Varied and noisy. Loud

shrieks, whistles, clacks, and chatters, including a bright, piercing, ascending

whistled wheeeeu often ending emphatically. Flight call a gruff dry chek, especially from females.

STATUS: Common to fairly common on both slopes to 1500m, in smaller numbers locally to 2800m.

(Mexico and sw. US to nw. S America.)

NICARAGUAN GRACKLE  Quiscalus nicaraguensis Male 28–31cm, female

23–25cm. Very local in fresh lagoon and river edge vegetation, from low bushes

to taller trees; adjacent pastures. Clearly smaller and shorter-tailed than Great-

tailed Grackle with straighter, more slender bill, domed head, less brutish mien.

Rarely in groups of more than 30 or so birds. Males sing and display singly and

in small groups from bushes and hidden in trees; in display, male droops wings

and raises tail in deep V. Feeds on ground, often around cattle, where associates

readily with Red-winged Blackbirds, Bronzed Cowbirds, less often with Great-

tailed Grackles. Male’s strongly keeled tail often held as a diagnostic deep fan in

flight; also note muted blue gloss. Female paler below than Great-tailed with pale eyebrow, variable dark

eyestripe; but cf. juv. Great-tailed, which is also pale below. SOUNDS: Songs higher, thinner, more whining

than Great-tailed. Song phrases include ascending, high nasal whistle, about 1 sec; series of (usually 5–8)

short, tinny to whining downslurred whistles, kyieh-kyieh...; and more varied short series of discordant

whining and semi-metallic notes. Call a low gruff chek! averages higher, weaker than Great-tailed.

STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common but very local in lowlands s. of Lake Nicaragua, especially around

Caño Negro. (Nicaragua to Costa Rica.)