Order Passeriformes Genus Agelaius Higher classification Agelaius | Phylum Chordata Scientific name Agelaius humeralis Rank Species | |
Similar Bird, Red‑shouldered blackbird, Cuban blackbird, Agelaius, Pale‑eyed blackbird | ||
The tawny-shouldered blackbird (Agelaius humeralis) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. It is a vagrant in the United States.
Measuring 20 cm (7.9 in) long, this highly social species is entirely black save for the namesake brown-orange patch at the shoulder. The patch may not be visible when the wings are folded.
Two subspecies are described:
They breed from April to August, laying 3–4 greenish-white eggs spotted with brown in a cup-shaped nest that is lined with soft materials and placed in a tree.
Tawny-shouldered blackbirds eat insects, seeds, nectar, fruit, and small lizards.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, pastureland, and heavily degraded former forest.
