Lampropsar tanagrinus
The Velvet-fronted Grackle (*Lampropsar tanagrinus*) is a striking passerine from the New World blackbird family (Icteridae), showcasing a sleek, entirely glossy black plumage that shimmers with purple-blue iridescence in good light. Its most distinctive feature, and the origin of its common name, is a small, dense patch of velvety black feathers on its forehead, often contrasting subtly with the shinier crown. Averaging around 22-24 cm in length and weighing 60-70 grams, this medium-sized gr...
This species primarily inhabits humid lowland tropical and subtropical forests, favoring forest edges, riverine woodlands, clearings with scattered trees, and secondary growth. It is typically found at elevations from sea level up to around 1000 meters.
Its diet consists predominantly of insects and other arthropods, which it gleans from leaves and branches in the forest canopy. It also supplements its insectivorous diet with various fruits, particularly berries and small fleshy fruits.
The Velvet-fronted Grackle is a diurnal species, often seen foraging actively during the day and roosting communally in trees at night, sometimes in mixed-species groups. They typically forage in the mid to upper canopy, gleaning insects from foliage and bark, but will also descend to lower level...
The Velvet-fronted Grackle boasts a wide distribution across the Amazon Basin of South America. Its range extends from southeastern Colombia and southern Venezuela, through eastern Ecuador and Peru, to northern Bolivia and across much of Amazonian Brazil. Disjunct populations also occur in Surina...
Least Concern
- It is the sole species in the genus *Lampropsar*, making it unique among grackles. - The 'velvet-fronted' patch is a distinct area of short, dense, velvety black feathers on its forehead, unlike the typical glossy feathers of the rest of its plumage. - Despite its common name, it is considered ...