Venezuelan Troupial (Icterus icterus) [XC439382]
by Joost van Bruggen from Hato La Hidra, Las Vegas, Cojedes 9.21, -68.32, Venezuela (call, song)
Venezuelan Troupial (Icterus icterus) [XC361998]
by Karan Odom from Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico (song)
Subspecies
Icterus icterus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Venezuelan Troupial (Icterus icterus), Orange-backed Troupial (Icterus croconotus) and Campo Troupial (Icterus jamacaii) following SACC (2007).
Closely related to Campo Troupial (Icterus jamacaii) and Orange-backed Troupial (Icterus croconotus), and all are often regarded as conspecific, but no intermediates known, and no hybrids reported in areas where sympatry with escaped cagebirds occurs (e.g. around Belém, in Pará, in northern Brazil). Distribution of black and orange in plumage of subspecies metae slightly approaches that of Orange-backed Troupial (Icterus croconotus), but this probably convergence, as other characters of metae are unique.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
ridgwayi (Hartert, 1902) - Northern Colombia (Guajira and northern Cesar) and lowlands of northern Venezuela east to Sucre and Margarita I. Also Netherlands Antilles (Aruba and Curaí§ao).
icterus (Linnaeus, 1766) - Northern and central Venezuela from Carabobo and western Apure to southern Monagas and northern Bolívar.
metae Phelps Jr & Aveledo, 1966 - Western Venezuela (southern Apure) and adjacent north-eastern Colombia (Arauca, Vichada).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet