<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='360418'>Golden-winged Cacique

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En bref

  • Scientific Name: Cacicus chrysopterus
  • Spanish Name: Cacique aliamarillo
  • Family: Icteridae
  • Known Nicknames: Golden-winged Cacique, Golden-winged Blackbird
  • Average Length: 20–23 cm / 7.9–9.1 in
  • Average Weight: 45–55 g / 1.6–1.9 oz
  • Envergure : N/A
  • Key Feature: Bright yellow wing patches contrasting with black body
  • Primary Diet: Primarily Frugivore and Insectivore
  • Range: South-central South America (southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, Uruguay)
  • Habitat: Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, woodlands, and forest edges
  • Social Structure: Highly Social (often in small flocks or mixed-species groups)
  • Nesting/Breeding: Tree cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : Stable

The Golden-winged Cacique (*Cacicus chrysopterus*) is a striking passerine bird native to the subtropical and temperate forests of South America, particularly the Atlantic Forest and Andean slopes. Slightly smaller than its more famous oropendola relatives, this species is distinguished by its sleek, entirely black body contrasted with brilliant, lemon-yellow wing patches, a pale yellow rump, and a piercing pale blue or white eye that stands out against its dark head. Its most special feature is its long, sharply pointed, ivory-colored bill, which it uses to expertly pry into bamboo and tree bark for insects, fruit, and nectar. Highly social and vocal, the Golden-winged Cacique often travels in noisy, mixed-species flocks, and its nest—a long, woven pouch suspended from a branch tip—is a testament to the intricate craftsmanship that earns it a place among the most charismatic canopy dwellers of its range.

Faits amusants

The Golden-winged Cacique is a master architect that weaves its hanging, pouch-like nests directly into the webs of large, social spiders, using the spider’s own silk as structural support. These nests are often built in colonies, and males are known to perform a bizarre, synchronized “bow-and-leap” display where multiple birds bob their heads in unison before suddenly jumping into the air. A quirky adaptation is their habit of following army ant swarms, not to eat the ants, but to snatch up the insects and small vertebrates that flee from the advancing column. Additionally, their bright yellow wing patches flash like signals during flight, a feature that may help them coordinate in the dense canopy—and they have been observed using their strong, chisel-like bills to pry open bamboo stems to extract hidden insect larvae.

Habitats et répartition

The Golden-winged Cacique inhabits humid subtropical and temperate forests, particularly montane cloud forests and forest edges, often near watercourses. It is found in the southern Andean foothills and lowlands, ranging from southeastern Brazil (São Paulo and Paraná) through eastern Paraguay, northeastern Argentina (Misiones and Corrientes), and into southern Bolivia. Its distribution is relatively restricted to the Atlantic Forest and Yungas ecoregions, typically between 500 and 2,000 meters in elevation.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Golden-winged Cacique is a highly social, colonial breeder. During the breeding season, which varies regionally but often coincides with the rainy season, males establish and defend small display territories within a larger colony, where they perform elaborate vocalizations and wing-fluttering displays to attract females. Females are solely responsible for nest construction, weaving long, pouch-shaped nests from plant fibers that hang from the tips of branches, often in a single tree or adjacent trees, creating a conspicuous colony. A key reproductive strategy is the use of these dense, clustered nests to deter predators; the caciques often nest near aggressive wasp nests or in trees occupied by stinging ants, which provide additional protection for their eggs and chicks. After mating, the female lays 2-3 eggs and incubates them alone, though both parents contribute to feeding the young after they hatch.

Alimentation

The Golden-winged Cacique is primarily a frugivore, with fruits—especially those from mistletoes and various forest trees—constituting the bulk of its diet, but it is also an opportunistic omnivore. A particularly interesting aspect of its feeding behavior is that it actively forages in mixed-species flocks, often alongside tanagers and other caciques, to exploit fruiting trees more efficiently and gain protection from predators. Additionally, while fruit is its staple, it supplements its nutrition by gleaning insects and spiders from leaves and branches, and it has been observed visiting epiphytic bromeliads to drink trapped water or capture small arthropods hiding within them.

Couleurs

The Golden-winged Cacique is predominantly glossy black with a sharp contrast of bright yellow on its wings, lower back, and the base of its tail. Its most distinctive feature is a pale yellow to whitish iris, which stands out vividly against its dark head. This bird lacks cryptic camouflage, instead using its bold black-and-yellow pattern for social signaling within its forest canopy habitat.

Distribution Map

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