The two species look similar, with plumage ranging from brownish black in juveniles to black with iridescence (green, blue, or violet) in adults, slightly more iridescent in males.

The bare parts are black and the eyes are dark brown.

If the ranges of the melodious blackbird and the northern populations of the scrub blackbird overlapped, they would be indistinguishable in the field apart from voice, and some authorities lump these two species into one; on the other hand some split the scrub blackbird into two species.

This genus is believed to be most closely related to Euphagus and Quiscalus.

Both species live in open habitats, including agricultural land, and have adapted well to human disturbance.