Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbulaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

Baltimore Oriole Fall Immature - The fall immature Baltimore Oriole resembles the female but has a yellow-orange wash on the head and breast.

Baltimore Oriole Female - The female Baltimore Oriole is olive-brown above and pale orange below with different amounts of black on the head and throat.

Baltimore Oriole - The breeding male Baltimore Oriole is mostly orange with a black hood and back. Wings are black with white edged feathers and orange shoulder patches. There is a distinctive black T pattern on the orange tail.

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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.

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.

● 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

Field Guide to Birds of North America