Oropendola

Oropendolas are a genus of passerine birds, Psarocolius, in the New World blackbird family Icteridae which are native to Central and South America.

They were once divided into two or three separate genera, but this is no longer the case. All oropendolas are large birds with pointed bills and long tails that are at least partly bright yellow. Males are typically larger than females. The plumage is typically chestnut, dark brown or black, although the green oropendola and olive oropendola have, as their names imply, an olive coloration to the head, breast and upper back. The legs are dark, but the bill is usually a strikingly contrasting feature, either pale yellow, or red-tipped with a green or black base. In several species there is also a blue or pink bare cheek patch.

Oropendolas are birds associated with forests or, for a few species, more open woodland. These social birds feed on large insects and fruit. They are highly vocal and produce a wide variety of songs and calls, sometimes including mimicry. They are colonial breeders, with several long woven basket nests in a tree, each hanging from the end of a branch.