Scrub Blackbird

Features a robust silhouette with a total length ranging between 23 and 28 centimeters. Its plumage is entirely glossy black, showing a distinctive bluish-violet iridescence when illuminated by direct sunlight, which is slightly more subdued in female individuals. The bill is strong, sharply pointed, and conical, presenting a deep black coloration that matches its legs and feet. Its iris is dark brown, appearing almost black under natural field conditions. Sexual dimorphism is subtle, primarily reflected in the males´ slightly larger body mass and highly complex vocalizations compared to females of Dives warczewiczi.

Geographical distribution: Occurs naturally along the Pacific slope of South America, with a range stretching from southwestern Colombia (specifically the Nariño department), down through the coastal and western regions of Ecuador, and extending deep into western and central Peru, including arid inter-Andean valleys as far south as the Ica department.

Habitat: Prefers semi-arid scrublands, deciduous dry forests, agricultural margins, and coastal desert oases. Due to its synanthropic tendencies, it has successfully established healthy populations in urban and suburban environments, such as city parks, ornamental gardens, and highly degraded agricultural landscapes. Its altitudinal distribution spans from sea level up to 3,000 meters above sea level in sheltered Andean valleys.

Feeding: Exhibits a highly opportunistic and omnivorous diet. It feeds on various arthropods including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and spiders, which it captures by walking and probing on the ground or searching through leaf litter. It also consumes grass seeds, agricultural grains like maize, wild fruits, and occasionally nectar from large blossoms. In human-populated areas, it regularly exploits organic food waste.

Behavior: Highly gregarious and vocal, this species is typically seen in active, noisy family groups or foraging flocks. It is renowned for its diverse vocal repertoire, consisting of clear whistles, bubbling warbles, and metallic notes. Mated pairs frequently engage in highly synchronized duet singing to maintain their pair bond and defend territory. They are strictly diurnal and display visible territorial behaviors during the breeding season.

Nesting: Constructs an open cup nest made of dry grass, twigs, plant fibers, and roots, often reinforced and cemented together with wet mud or livestock manure. The nest is placed at low to medium heights within thorny bushes, dense tree forks, or palm fronds. The female lays a clutch of three to four light blue-green eggs, speckled with dark brown or black spots. The species is a common host for the brood parasitic Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis).

Conservation status: Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The global population is considered stable, and its range is expanding in several regions because of its high tolerance to habitat modification, forest fragmentation, and successful adaptation to agricultural and urban environments.