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Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbulaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

Baltimore Oriole Breeding Adult Portrait
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Baltimore Oriole Variations

Baltimore Oriole: Fall Immature
Default description
Baltimore Oriole: Fall Immature
Baltimore Oriole: Female
Default description
Baltimore Oriole: Female
Baltimore Oriole: Breeding Adult
Default description
Baltimore Oriole: Breeding Adult

General

Baltimore Oriole: Small oriole, mostly bright orange with black hood and back. Wings are black with orange shoulder patches and strongly white-edged feathers that appear as bars. Black base and center form a T-shaped mark on orange tail. Female is similar but much duller, lacks black hood and back, orange shoulder patch, darker orange-brown head and back, pale chin, and gray wash on sides. Juvenile is paler overall and has gray belly; first year male has black throat patch.

Range and Habitat

Baltimore Oriole: Breeds from Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia south through eastern Texas, Louisiana, and Virginia. Spends winters in Florida and southern Atlantic coast. Preferred habitats include open woods and shade trees.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"hew-li"

Interesting Facts

  • The Baltimore Oriole received its name from the fact that the male's colors resembled those on the coat of arms of Lord Baltimore.
  • Their range overlaps with that of the similar Bullock's Oriole in the Midwest, and the two species are sometimes considered to be conspecific under the name Northern Oriole because they form fertile hybrids.
  • It is the state bird of Maryland. The Baltimore Orioles, an American League baseball team in Baltimore, Maryland, were named after this bird.
  • A group of orioles are collectively known as a "pitch" and a "split" of orioles.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Baltimore Oriole
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Icterus galbula
Length7 - 8.25 Inches
Wingspan11.875 Inches

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole: Small oriole, mostly bright orange with black hood and back. Wings are black with orange shoulder patches and strongly white-edged feathers that appear as bars. Black base, center form T-shaped mark on orange tail. Strong swift and direct flight on rapid wing beats.

● Song: "hew-li"

● Foraging & Feeding: Baltimore Oriole: Feeds primarily on caterpillars, moths, beetles, ants, bugs, scale insects, aphids, and woodborers; also eats fruits, garden peas, and flower nectar. Forages by gleaning prey insects from leaves and twigs.

● Breeding & nesting: Baltimore Oriole: Four brown- and black-blotched, pale gray white or blue eggs are laid in a nest woven from long plant fibers, vine bark, hair, and sometimes yarn; lined with hair, wool, and fine grass. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Baltimore Oriole: Bullock's Oriole lacks black head. Female Baltimore Oriole has less gray on upperparts and more orange on breast than female Bullock’s.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
Baltimore Oriole: Breeding Adult
● Range & Habitat: Baltimore Oriole: Breeds from Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia south through eastern Texas, Louisiana, and Virginia. Spends winters in Florida and southern Atlantic coast. Preferred habitats include open woods and shade trees.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
Population
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.2 Ounces