Icterids, members of Icteridae, are a family of small to medium-sized, often colorful passerine birds. This group includes the New World blackbirds, New World orioles, the bobolink, meadowlarks, grackles, cowbirds, oropendolas, and caciques. Despite the similar names, the New World groups are only distantly related to the Old World common blackbird (a thrush) or the Old World orioles, Oriolids.

Icterids are variable in size, and often display considerable sexual dimorphism, with brighter coloration and extremely unique size differences in males being typical. Most Icterids have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The name, meaning "jaundiced ones" (from the prominent yellow feathers of many species) comes from the Ancient Greek ikteros, via the Latin ictericus.

Species

• cacique_(bird)
• cowbird
• grackle
• greater_antillean_grackle
• meadowlark
• new_world_blackbird
• bobolink
• red-winged_blackbird
• rusty_blackbird
• yellow-headed_blackbird
• new_world_oriole
• baltimore_oriole
• montserrat_oriole
• oropendola
• chestnut-headed_oropendola

Not to be confused with

• oriolid (old world oriole)
• thrush_(bird)

See also

• avian
• bird
• Psittacopasserae
• passerine
• oscine
• icterid