The captive challenge: oropendolas in zoos

URING the 1980s, a group of 10 chestnut-headed oropendolas were housed in the Tropical House free, 1995), but eventually died out during the 1990s. I was surprised that they were housed in the same flight as a pair of giant cowbirds, their natural brood parasites. (Note, however, that unlike cuckoo youngsters, cowbird offspring are reared along with the host’s nestlings.)