Red-shouldered Blackbird

Open encyclopedia reference

The red-shouldered blackbird (Agelaius assimilis), known in Cuban Spanish as mayito de la ciénaga (swamp mayito) or sargento cubano (Cuban sergeant) and turpial de hombros rojos (red-shouldered troupial), is a species of passerine bird in the family Icteridae endemic to Cuba. It is similar to other species in the genus Agelaius, but recent research has established it as a separate species from the closely related red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). The males are very similar to those of the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), while the females are completely black, similar to the males but without the red and yellow stripes on the wings. In addition to having a different behavior, the sexual dimorphism in size and color of the plumage of the red-shouldered blackbird is less than that of the red-winged blackbird. It is found only in the wetlands of the island of Cuba. Although its reduced range covers only 4,100 square kilometres (1,600 sq mi), it has been classified as species of least concern.

Wikipedia contributors, Red-shouldered blackbird; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T08:00:47.751787+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Agelaius assimilis Lembeye, 1850

Name authority

Lembeye, 1850

Common name

Red-shouldered Blackbird

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Icteridae

Genus

Agelaius

Extinction status

Recorded extant

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. megaclassTetrapoda
8. classAves
9. orderPasseriformes
10. familyIcteridae
11. genusAgelaius Vieillot, 1816
12. speciesAgelaius assimilis Lembeye, 1850

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Agelaius. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

Browse 72 records assigned to Icteridae.

Names & synonyms

Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. Lembeye, & Juan. (1850). Aves de La Isla de Cuba. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:5TQD9. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.