Giant Cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus)

Other Scientific Names
Scaphidura oryzivora [BirdLife International (2004)], Scaphidura oryzivora [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Scaphidura oryzivora [Stotz et al. (1996)], Molothrus oryzivora

Other Names (World)
Giant Cowbird, Rice Grackle

Family
Icteridae (New World Blackbirds)

Size
28 - 38 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Gmelin, 1788)

Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland moist forest. From sea-level - 2,000 m.

Range (Guide)

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

Vagrant to Barbados.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is 5,000,000 - 50,000,000 (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (70)...)

Giant Cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) [XC66628]
by Tayler Brooks from Reserva Volta Velha, Itapo\u00e1, SC, Brazil (song, song while displaying)

Giant Cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) [XC666421]
by Mauricio Cuellar Ramirez (@Birding.travel) from Botanical Garden UFJF (near Juiz de Fora), Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil (?)

Subspecies
Formerly placed in genus Psomocolax or Scaphidura, but such treatment not supported by molecular-genetic findings. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA indicate closest relationship with Screaming Cowbird (Molothrus rufoaxillaris) and Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus). Geographical variation weak. Further study is desirable. Subspecies impacifus commonly emended to "impacificus" but, in absence of any internal evidence in original description (where same original spelling appears three times), there is no justification for such a change under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.

The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

impacifus (Peters, JL, 1929) - Eastern Mexico (Veracruz) south to western Panama.
oryzivorus (Gmelin, 1788) - Central Panama east to Colombia, southern on Pacific coast to north-western Peru (Tumbes), and from Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago and the Guianas south to eastern Peru, Bolivia, northern and north-eastern Argentina (Jujuy, Salta and northern Corrientes) and most of Brazil (south to Santa Catarina; absent in north-east).

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Giant Cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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