New World Blackbirds (Icteridae)

Saffron-cowled Blackbird (Xanthopsar flavus) - HBW 16, p. 799

French: Carouge safran German: Gilbstärling Spanish: Tordo Amarillo
Other common names: Saffron-crowned Blackbird; Yellow-throated Oriole (“xantholemus”)

Taxonomy: O.[riolus] flavus J. F. Gmelin, 1788, “in Antigua insulae Panay et America australi” = Río de la Plata, Argentina and Uruguay.
Genus sometimes subsumed in Agelaius. Molecular data indicate close affinity with Pseudoleistes and more distant relationship to Chrysomus, these findings supported by behavioural data. In morphology resembles more the last two genera, but with rather stout tarsometatarsus and thin bill. Form Icterus xantholemus, based on a single speciment from S Brazil but erroneously published as from Ecuador, has been shown to be a synonym of present species. Monotypic.

Distribution: SE Paraguay and SE Brazil (from Santa Catarina, rarely Paraná) S to NE Argentina (Corrientes and Entre Ríos) and Uruguay.