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New World Blackbirds (Icteridae)

Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) - HBW 16, p. 786

French: Vacher luisant German: Seidenkuhstärling Spanish: Tordo Renegrido
Other common names: Glossy Cowbird

Taxonomy: Tanagra bonariensis J. F. Gmelin, 1789, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Closely related to M. ater, and much resembling it in habits, general behaviour and voice. Proposed race melanogyna (Paraná, Brazil), with females blackish (almost as black as males), now considered a dark colour morph of nominate, as also is proposed race milleri (Mato Grosso, Brazil). Origin of isolated Chilean population of nominate race uncertain; analysis of mitochondrial DNA desirable. Seven subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • minimus de Dalmas, 1900 - SE USA (Florida), West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, the Guianas and extreme N Brazil (R Branco).
  • cabanisii Cassin, 1866 - E Costa Rica, Panama and W Colombia.
  • venezuelensis Stone, 1891 - N Venezuela and E Colombia.

     See all 7 subspecies
  • minimus de Dalmas, 1900 - SE USA (Florida), West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, the Guianas and extreme N Brazil (R Branco).
  • cabanisii Cassin, 1866 - E Costa Rica, Panama and W Colombia.
  • venezuelensis Stone, 1891 - N Venezuela and E Colombia.
  • aequatorialis Chapman, 1915 - SW Colombia and W Ecuador.
  • occidentalis Berlepsch & Stolzmann, 1892 - extreme SW Ecuador (Loja) and W Peru.
  • riparius Griscom & Greenway, 1937 - E Ecuador, E Peru, and Amazon Valley in Brazil (E to Obídos).
  • bonariensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) - C & E Brazil (S of R Amazon) S to E Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina (S to C Santa Cruz); also Chile (Coquimbo Region S to Aysén).

Sounds

3 recordings
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