Icteridae:<\/span>\u00a0 Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Orioles, and Oropendolas<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Venezuelan Troupial<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a9 Steven Mlodinow<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t The \u201cicterids\u201d are a large, diverse family of songbirds found in varied habitats throughout most of the Americas.\u00a0 Their most prominent shared trait is a long, thin bill that tapers to a sharp tip.<\/p> Some species groups are wetland or grassland specialists, some are restricted to forests, and others are generalists that adapt readily to urban lifestyles.\u00a0 Some are highly social and nest colonially, and some of these build enormous nests.\u00a0 Some build no nest at all, but instead reproduce parasitically, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds.<\/p> Many icterid species are highly vocal and conspicuous. These species include some of the most numerous birds in the Americas, such as the Red-winged Blackbird <\/strong>(Agelaius phoeniceus<\/em>) and Common <\/strong>(Quiscalus quiscula<\/em>) and Great-tailed<\/strong> (Q. mexicanus<\/em>) Grackles<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Identification<\/strong><\/span><\/p> Icterids present an array of identification challenges.\u00a0 Most species groups include several similar forms that differ only in subtle details.\u00a0 In particular, the meadowlarks, oropendolas, blackbirds, and grackles all include clusters of species that are often indistinguishable by sight alone.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Taxonomy<\/strong><\/span><\/p> Recent advances in the understanding of relationships within the\u00a0Icteridae<\/em> suggest that there are seven distinct lineages that can be regarded as subfamilies:<\/p> Xanthoncephalinae:<\/span> Yellow-headed Blackbird (1 species)<\/p> Dolichonychinae:<\/span> Bobolink (1 species)<\/p> Sturnellinae:<\/span> Meadowlarks (7 to 9 species)<\/p> Amblycercinae:<\/span> Yellow-billed Cacique (1 or 2 species)<\/p> Cacicinae:<\/span> Caciques and oropendolas (22 to 27 species)<\/p> Icterinae:<\/span> Orioles (33 to 40 species)<\/p> Agelaiinae:<\/span> Blackbirds, grackles, and cowbirds (43 to 48 living species, plus 1 extinct)<\/p> The family therefore consists of somewhere between 108 and 128 species (plus one recently extinct).<\/p> Several icterids invite further study and taxonomic reconsideration, as has occurred in recent years with family members that include: the former Northern Oriole, now recognized as three distinct species (Bullock\u2019s, Baltimore<\/strong><\/a>, and Black-backed); the former Black-cowled Oriole, now split into five species (Black-cowled, Bahama<\/strong><\/a>, Cuban<\/strong><\/a>, Hispaniolan<\/strong><\/a>, and Puerto Rican<\/strong><\/a>); and the former Troupial, now regarded as three species (Venezuelan<\/strong><\/a>, Campo, and Orange-backed Troupials).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birdfinding.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/VZtroupial10.jpg\")
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