Weaver Birds  

in South America and Ecuador belong to the American Orioles and Blackbird family, Icteridae, birds only found on the American continent. The Icterids are a diverse group but all have a strong and sharply pointed bill and strong feet. Not all are weavers but the two bird genera, which are featured here, the Caciques and Oropendolas are tree dwellers and construct beautifully weaved nests, hanging from branches of tall trees. All of them range in the lower tropical forest locations either on the west or east side of the Andes. They are also the largest birds in this group and are mostly black or dark brownish with yellow or sometimes red tails and markings on their body. Males are considerably bigger than females but show otherwise no sexual dimorphism.

Those birds are very skillful in weaving nests and in most cases it is the female cacique or oropendola who does the constructing in contrast to the African weavers where it is the male who builds and try to attract females with well woven nests. Also the weaving birds in Africa belong to the sparrow family and build different types of nests and are not related at all with the American weavers. Caciques and Oropendolas are colonial builders, nesting often together on the same or nearby trees in clearings or near water but never inside the deep forest. They also often build their nests near wasp or bee nests for added protection against egg predators. Although already well protected and difficult to get to, some snakes and other animals might make it into the nests gliding down on the support so the presence of those stinging insects might discourage them. On the other hand oropendulas defend the insect's nests against other birds which might try to steal the honey, repaying so some of the help. 

Oropendulas and the smaller caciques are gregarious and conspicous, living in groups and sometimes together with other species. They have strong loud calls, often a slashing sound and some oropendulas perfom a lunging display at the same time. They forage mainly on fruits but also eat insects and even small mammals. Their mating system is polygynous and some species practice a harem-defense system where a dominant male keeps a harem of females and prevents them from mating with lesser or lower-ranking males in the colony. Females lay 4-5 eggs in those beautiful woven nests and incubate them. Young fledge at around 3 weeks. 

Location

Birding Vocabulary