MONTEZUMA OROPENDULA 



2. Gymnostinops montezuma (Lesson) 

 Montezuma Oropendula 



Length. Male. About 491 mm. (19.30111.); 

 tail about 197 mm. (7.80 in.). Female. About 

 381 mm. (15.00 in.); tail about 152 mm. (6.00 

 in.). 



Male. Head, neck, and upper chest black; 

 tail yellow, the middle pair of tail feathers 

 brownish black; remainder of plumage purplish 

 chestnut. Bill elongate-conical, extended to 

 form a frontal shield; basally black, orange 

 terminally. Bare skin below eye and on fore- 

 head pinkish. 



Female. Similar to male but much smaller. 



Young. Similar to adults. 



Recorded from Lion Hill. Its habits resemble 

 those of the preceding species, . Zarhynchus w. 

 wagleri. "The flight is slow and labored, recalls 

 that of a crow; . . . the ordinary note is fre- 

 quently uttered but like the song of this species 

 is most difficult to describe. The song is a 

 gurgling sound rapidly ascending the scale, and 

 simultaneously with it another note is uttered 

 resembling the shrill squeaking of a hinge or 

 wagon wheel which is in need of attention. . . . 

 When about to deliver its notes it makes a pro- 

 found bow bringing the head below the level 

 of its perch, at the same time raising the tail to a 

 vertical position. While singing the bird gradu- 

 ally resumes its normal position." (Richmond.) 

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