Psarocolius viridis
The Green Oropendola (Psarocolius viridis) is a striking and substantial New World tropical bird, belonging to the Icteridae family, which includes other oropendolas, caciques, and blackbirds. Males are notably larger than females, measuring around 37-41 cm (14.6-16.1 in) in length and weighing 250-325g, while females are 33-34 cm (13-13.4 in) and 150-180g. Its plumage is predominantly iridescent olive-green, contrasting sharply with a rich chestnut-brown rump and lower back. A defining featu...
This species primarily inhabits humid lowland tropical rainforests, forest edges, and clearings, typically below 900 meters (3,000 feet) in elevation, often near water bodies.
Their diet is omnivorous, consisting mainly of large insects and other invertebrates, ripe fruits, and occasionally nectar and small vertebrates. They primarily forage by gleaning within the forest canopy.
Green Oropendolas are social, day-active birds, often seen foraging in small groups or large colonies. They are famous for their colonial breeding, with dozens of their distinctive pendulous nests hanging from a single large emergent tree, often near a wasp or bee nest for added protection. Forag...
The Green Oropendola is a resident species found throughout much of northern South America, primarily within the Amazon Basin and the Guiana Shield. Its breeding and year-round range extends across southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, Amazonian Brazil, and the G...
Least Concern
- The Green Oropendola's long, pendulous nests can be up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) long, intricately woven from vines and fibers, resembling hanging baskets. - They often choose a single, tall emergent tree for their colonial nests, and surprisingly, these trees are frequently the same ones that hos...