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Icteridae
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A black bird with yellow and red on its wings sitting on reeds. A western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) with a yellow breast and dark markings stands on a rock, holding an insect in its beak. Illustration of a male bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) perched on a branch, showing its distinctive black body, white back, and yellow patch on the back of its head.
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pigeon. pigeon and dove. member of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae
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A black bird with yellow and red on its wings sitting on reeds.
red-winged blackbird Male red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus).

Icteridae

bird family
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Icteridae, songbird family, order Passeriformes, consisting of about 100 species of great diversity in size, habits, and diet, found throughout the Americas.

Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

Members range in size from 16 to 54 cm (6 to 21 inches) long. They have conical bills, strong feet, and long, pointed wings. Most show black in varying degrees. The family includes such common birds as blackbirds (Agelaius), grackles (Quiscalus), orioles (Icterus), meadowlarks (Sturnella), cowbirds (Molothrus), and bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). Tropical members are the troupials (Icterus icterus), oropendolas (Psarocolius), and caciques (Cacicus).

bobolink
bobolinkBobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus).

Ornithologists refer to these birds as icterids. The Icteridae belongs to the songbird suborder (Passeri).

pigeon. pigeon and dove. member of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae
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This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy.