- Ptiloxena atroviolacea
Identification
- Metallic black with purplish sheen
- Long bill with curved upper mandible
Similar species
Greater Antillean Grackle has yellow eye and keel-shaped tail. Shiny Cowbird and Red-shouldered Blackbird are both smaller.
Distribution
Cuba and Isle of Pines.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Formerly placed in genus Dives[1]
Habitat
Forests and a variety of habitats.
Behaviour
Readily forms flocks
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.1). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Raffaele, H, J Wiley, OH Garrido, A Keith, JI Raffaele. 2003. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691113197
- Arthur Grosset
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Cuban Blackbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 14 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Cuban_Blackbird
