Golden-tufted Mountain Grackle

Overview

The golden-tufted mountain grackle (Macroagelaius imthurni) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae, also known as the tepui mountain-grackle. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Slender, long-tailed bird approximately 25–28 cm long, with sexes having identical plumage.
• Adults are almost entirely black with a blue gloss, while juveniles are dusky brown with less sheen.
• Yellow to tawny axillaries with chestnut bases form eponymous pectoral tufts that are highly visible in flight but often hidden when perched.
• Song is described as an unusual and melodic combination of tinkling and rusty-gate squeaks, often performed in flight; a repeated 'chak' call may serve as an alarm signal.

Habitat

Found in a disjunct range across Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela, primarily on tepuis. It inhabits humid montane evergreen forest heavy with bromeliads and epiphytes, and at higher elevations, stunted Melastomataceae forest on nutrient-poor sandy soil.

Diet

The diet is assumed to include insects, other arthropods, small vertebrates, and fruit, though it has not been specifically studied. The bird typically forages in flocks of 10 to 30 individuals within arboreal foliage and epiphytes, and has not been observed feeding on the ground or in the understory.

Did you know?

This species is a cooperative breeder, with one nest containing three young having been tended by five adults.