Amblycercus holosericeus
The Yellow-billed Cacique, *Amblycercus holosericeus*, is a striking member of the Icteridae family, immediately recognizable by its glossy black plumage contrasted sharply with a stout, pale yellow bill and distinctively pale (yellowish to whitish) iris. This medium-sized songbird typically measures between 20-23 cm (8-9 inches) in length and weighs around 55-75 grams. It exhibits minimal sexual dimorphism, with males being only slightly larger than females but sharing the same brilliant col...
Found primarily in the dense undergrowth of humid evergreen forests, forest edges, secondary growth, and overgrown clearings, often near water sources. It inhabits a wide elevational range, from sea level up to approximately 2500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide array of invertebrates including beetles, spiders, caterpillars, and orthopterans. It also supplements its diet with small fruits and nectar.
This cacique is typically diurnal, spending much of its time foraging low in dense vegetation, often singly or in pairs. It employs a distinctive foraging technique, using its strong, pointed bill to probe into bromeliads, epiphytes, and tangled foliage to pry open stems and extract invertebrates...
The Yellow-billed Cacique is a resident species distributed across a wide geographical area from southern Mexico, through Central America, and into northern South America. Its northern range extends from Veracruz and Oaxaca in Mexico, south through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Ri...
Least Concern
- The Yellow-billed Cacique is the only species in its genus, *Amblycercus*, making it a monotypic genus in the diverse Icteridae family. - Its stout, pale yellow bill is uniquely adapted for prying open dense vegetation, bromeliads, and epiphytes to extract hidden insects. - Despite its striking...