New World Blackbirds (Icteridae)
Velvet-fronted Grackle (Lampropsar tanagrinus) - HBW 16, p. 792
French: Carouge velouté
German: Samtstirnstärling
Spanish: Chango Terciopelo
Other common names: Bolivian Grackle (boliviensis); Violaceous Grackle (violaceus)
Taxonomy: Icterus tanagrinus Spix, 1824, Itacoatiara, north-east Amazonas, Brazil.
Analysis of mitochondrial DNA suggests relationship with morphologically very different Gymnomystax mexicanus. Some races, especially boliviensis, may merit full species status. Five subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- guianensis Cabanis, 1848 - Venezuela (Sucre and NE Monagas S to NE Bolívar; NW Amazonas) and NW Guyana, NE Colombia (NE Vichada), and extreme N Brazil (Roraima).
- tanagrinus (Spix, 1824) - Amazon Basin in E Ecuador, S Colombia (Amazonas), NE Peru (Loreto and Ucayali) and W Brazil (Amazonas E to lower R Negro and R Madeira).
- macropterus Gyldenstolpe, 1945 - W Brazil (upper R Juruá in Acre and W Amazonas).
- guianensis Cabanis, 1848 - Venezuela (Sucre and NE Monagas S to NE Bolívar; NW Amazonas) and NW Guyana, NE Colombia (NE Vichada), and extreme N Brazil (Roraima).
- tanagrinus (Spix, 1824) - Amazon Basin in E Ecuador, S Colombia (Amazonas), NE Peru (Loreto and Ucayali) and W Brazil (Amazonas E to lower R Negro and R Madeira).
- macropterus Gyldenstolpe, 1945 - W Brazil (upper R Juruá in Acre and W Amazonas).
- violaceus Hellmayr, 1906 - WC Brazil (NW Mato Grosso).
- boliviensis Gyldenstolpe, 1941 - E Bolivia (Beni and Santa Cruz).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
- No videos available yet
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A bird on a branch, from below.
Locality Caño Colorado, Maturín, Monagas State, Venezuela (Monotypic species)
philgunson 2 January 2009 3 years ago 2 -
Two birds on a branch
Locality Monagas State, Venezuela (ssp guianensis)
Mikko Pyhälä 1 February 2008 3 years ago 2
- No sound recordings available yet
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