Russet-backed oropendola – known for its extraordinary skill as a nest-builder
21 September 2026 (112 visits)The russet-backed oropendola (Psarocolius angustifrons) is one of more than 600 bird species that can be seen, photographed or heard in the protected rainforest that surrounds the comfortable jungle eco-lodge where we offer guided Amazon jungle stays. It is a favorite among specialist birdwatchers and other nature lovers, known for its unique vocalization and, particularly, for its extraordinary skill as a nest-builder.
It is a successful species, with a natural range extending from lowland Amazon rainforest to the montane forest at 2500 meters above sea level (8200 feet), across Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. It has an olive-colored body, with rufous tones on its back and rump, bright yellow outer tail feathers, and a black bill. Russet-backed oropendolas can be seen foraging in the upper canopy, sometimes in mixed flocks with other oropendola species, where they feed on fruits, insects, small tree frogs and nectar.
Russet-colored oropendolas are vocal, social birds, tending to live in large colonies. Known as colonial breeders, they build what are among the most complex structures found anywhere in the avian world.
Using plant fiber, the females of the species construct elaborate, woven hanging pouch nests that can measure up to one meter (three feet) in length. Using both their beak and feet, the females interlace flexible plant fibers, thin vines, strips of bark and long strands of grass to construct a tightly-woven, flexible mesh, with a narrow opening at the top, designed to be weather-resistant and to offer protection against predators.
Working in unison, the females of each colony group together these complex structures, high up in the rainforest canopy. In these open-topped, hanging bags, the female will lay just one or two eggs, which she will then incubate for around twenty days. The male role during the nesting period resides in the defense of the colony, with up to three dominant males overseeing multiple females.
