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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)

-New World Blackbirds and Orioles (Family Icteridae)

-Genus (Cassiculus)

-Yellow-winged Cacique (Cassiculus melanicterus)


The yellow-winged Cacique inhabits the subtropical and tropical dry forest lowlands of Guatemala and Mexico. It is related to the grackle and oriole. The nest is a conspicuous elongated teardrop shape about 2 fee long hanging from a tree limb or sometimes from a powerline. The eggs are pale blue with flecks of black and grey. he tops of their shoulders, along with their tails, grow bright yellow feathers. These birds also have several long feathers creating an elegant crest on their heads. Adults feed on invertebrates, fruits, berries, seeds, and nuts. They also occasionally feed on the nectar of flowers. Some of the different invertebrates that they hunt include grasshoppers, crickets, insect larvae, and spiders.

Yellow-winged Cacique

Cassiculus melanicterus

Diet

  • Primarily insects, including beetles, caterpillars, ants, grasshoppers, and other arthropods.

  • Also feeds on fruits, berries, nectar, and occasionally seeds.

  • Forages high in the canopy, often searching among leaves and branches or visiting flowering trees.

Range

  • Endemic to western Mexico, ranging from southern Sonora south along the Pacific slope to Chiapas.

  • Common throughout the Pacific lowlands, including the Zihuatanejo region.

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, deciduous woodlands, forest edges, gallery forests, mangroves, plantations, and gardens.

  • A year-round resident throughout its range.

Male / Female

  • Male: Glossy black plumage with bright yellow shoulder patches, rump, lower back, and tail; pale bluish-white eyes and a pale ivory bill. Slightly larger than the female.

  • Female: Very similar in appearance but generally smaller and less robust.

  • Sexes are difficult to distinguish in the field, with size being the primary difference.

Size

  • Length: 25–29 cm (9.8–11.4 in)

  • Wingspan: 36–42 cm (14–16.5 in)

  • Weight: 85–120 g

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