Family New World Blackbirds (Icteridae)
Least Concern
Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives)
Taxonomy
French: Quiscale chanteur German: Trauerstärling Spanish: Zanate cantor
Taxonomy:
Icterus dives
W. Deppe
, 1830,Mexico
.Distribution:
NE Mexico (S Tamaulipas) S in lowlands of Caribbean coast, and from Guatemala also along Pacific coast, to Costa Rica.
Descriptive notes
Male 25·5 cm, 98·3–102 g; female 23 cm, 83·4–95·9 g. Medium-sized all-dark icterid with long tail. Plumage is wholly black, with blue and purple iridescence; iris dark brown... read more
Voice
Song, by both sexes, often in duet, loud and musical, a mix of mellow whistles and warbles with... read more
Habitat
Open pine woodland (mostly of the native pines Pinus caribaea and Pinus oocarpa... read more
Food and feeding
Quite omnivorous: insects and other arthropods, small vertebrates, fruit, nectar of e.g. balsa trees (Ochroma pyramidale) and... read more
Breeding
Season Apr–May in Belize and Guatemala. Monogamous. Solitary, territorial breeder. Nest built by both sexes, an open cup of diverse plant... read more
Movements
Apparently resident.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. Common to fairly common throughout range. Invades modified habitats. As a result of deforestation, has expanded range S, reaching Costa Rica in 1980s... read more
Previously treated as conspecific with D. warczewiczi, and the two are sister-species#R. Monotypic.