Golden-tufted Grackle Macroagelaius imthurni Scientific name definitions

The Golden-tufted Grackle and the Mountain Grackle (M. subalaris) are the only two members of the genus Magroagelaius. The two have fragmented distributions, with the Golden-tufted being a species of subtropical forests of the Tepui region of South America. Of the five major lineages (clades) of icterids, the Golden-tufted belongs to the blackbird-grackle group although very distantly related to the true grackles (Quiscalus spp.). Instead it is in an old line within the blackbird-grackles, and is related also to the Velvet-fronted Grackle (Lampropsar tanagrinus) and the Oriole Blackbird (Gymnomystax mexicanus). Golden-tufted Grackles roam in small, noisy and conspicuous flocks though the forest mid-story. They like wet forest, where trees are festooned with epiphytes, plants that they often probe into looking for food. They may also range to forest edge or higher up into elfin cloudforest. The song is a complex tinkling and whistled creation, and sometimes pairs give it as a duet. The strong sociality of this bird suggests that when breeding it may be communal or have helpers at the nest, but this needs to be confirmed. Golden-tufted Grackles, formerly known as Tepui Mountain-Grackles are slim black birds with long tails and a partially hidden tuft of bright yellow feathers on the “wingpit” of the bird.

Male 28 cm, average 87·3 g; female 25 cm, average 71·7 g. Rather slender and long-tailed icterid. Plumage is almost entirely black with blue gloss, becoming dusky or duller black on belly, rump and inner webs of flight-feathers; underwing-coverts black, axillaries yellow to tawny-yellow with variable chestnut feather bases (showing as pectoral tuft); iris hazel to dark brown; bill and legs black. Sexes similar. Juvenile is less glossy and more dusky brown, particularly in flight-feathers, than adult. Differs from similar M. subalaris in having yellow pectoral tufts, little or no chestnut in wing, thinner bill, somewhat less slim body.

Mountains (tepuis) in S Venezuela (W & C Amazonas and SE Bolívar), extreme N Brazil (Roraima) and W Guyana.

Lower to upper montane humid forest with high diversity of evergreen trees such as Eschweilera odorata, Guarea silvatica, Euterpe palms, among others, covered with abundant bromeliads and other epiphytic plants; above 1200 m occurs in stunted forests (up to 15 m tall) on poor sandy soils, dominated by Miconia and other trees in family Melastomataceae, with abundance of epiphytic and terrestrial bromeliads. At 700–2000 m, occasionally down to 500 m.

Sedentary.

Scant information. Probably eats arthropods, small vertebrates and fruit. In Sierra de Lema (Venezuela) feeds on moths (particularly of family Noctuidae) attracted to night lights; in same area a flock seen to inspect or feed on racemes of red-coloured berries produced by an abundant shrub (species not identified). Finds insect prey in foliage and in epiphytes; not reported as feeding in forest undergrowth or on ground. Occurs mostly in monospecific flocks of 10–30 individuals.

Rather noisy. Presumed song complex and variable, mixing shrill and rasping warbles with more pleasant metallic notes; one of shorter variants is “sh-glack-chak-shweo-shwéé”; longer songs may sound like series of rising and falling, dissonant chords, with glassy tone. Commonly sings in flight. Apparently both sexes sing (and duet), and group singing frequent. A common call, perhaps as alarm, is a repeated “chak”. May produce audible wing noise in flight.

Breeds in Mar in Venezuela. Co-operative breeder. Few nests described: one was a bulky cup 30 cm in diameter, loosely built from grasses and other plant fibres, placed 12 m up in crown of tree in group of four trees growing on a peninsula in a large river; in a similar nest found at Sierra de Lema, five adults brought food to three chicks. No further information.

Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Tepuis EBA. Locally abundant in appropriate habitat. Found in several protected areas in its range: Canaima and Duida-Marahuaca National Parks, in Venezuela, Monte Roraima National Park, in Brazil, and Kaieteur National Park, in Guyana.