Orchard Oriole

Orchard Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Adult male I. s. spurius
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Icteridae
Genus: Icterus
Species: I. spurius
Binomial name
Icterus spurius
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Orchard Oriole Galveston, Texas

The Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius, is the smallest North American species of icterid blackbird. The subspecies of the Caribbean coast of Mexico, I. s. fuertesi, is sometimes considered a separate species, the Ochre Oriole.

Contents

Description

This species is 6.3 inches (16 cm) long and weighs 20 g. The bill is pointed and black with some blue-gray at the base of the lower mandible (Howell and Webb 1995). The adult male of the nominate subspecies has chestnut on the underparts, shoulder, and rump, with the rest of the plumage black. In the subspecies I. s. fuertesi, the chestnut is replaced with ochre (Howell and Webb 1995). The adult female and the juvenile of both subspecies have olive-green on the upper parts and yellowish on the breast and belly. All adults have pointed bills and white wing bars. (Orchard Orioles are considered to be adults after their second year.) One-year-old males are yellow-greenish with a black bib.

Habitat and range

The breeding habitat is semi-open areas with deciduous trees. I. s. spurius breeds in spring across eastern North America from near the United States-Canada border south to central Mexico. A 2009 study also found breeding in the thorn forest of Baja California Sur and the coast of Sinaloa during the summer "monsoon"; this region had previously been thought to be only a migratory stopover (Rohwer, Hobson, and Rohwer, 2009). I. s. fuertesi breeds from southern Tamaulipas to Veracruz (Howell and Webb 1995). These birds enjoy living in shaded trees within parks along lakes and streams. The nest is a tightly woven pouch attached to a fork on a horizontal branch. Their nests tend to sit close together.

The nominate subspecies' winter range extends from the coastal lowlands of central Sinaloa and southern Veracruz south to northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela (Scharf and Kren 1996). The ochre subspecies has been observed in winter on the Pacific slope of Mexico (Howell and Webb 1995).

Nominate Orchard Orioles depart from their winter habitats in March and April and arrive in their breeding habitats from late April to late May. Usually, they leave their breeding territories in late July and early August and arrive on their winter territories in mid August. These birds are nocturnal migrants.

Food

While in breeding season, they eat insects and spiders. When the season changes, their diet also includes ripe fruit, which quickly passes through their digestive tract. During the winter, their diet consists of fruit, nectar,and insects.

Behavior

When in flight, Orchard Orioles generally swoop close to the ground and fly at or below treetop level

During courtship, females display themselves in 3 unique ways. The first way is bowing their head and torso toward the male. Seesawing, the second courtship display, involves repetitively alternating lowering and raising the head and tail. The third display is begging, which is fast-paced fluttering of wings halfway extended, followed by a high whistle.

Etymology

The specific name spurius refers to the original misidentification of the male as a female Baltimore Oriole. These birds are sometimes mistakenly identified as New World warblers.

References

  • BirdLife International (2004). Icterus spurius. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  • Foster, Mercedes S. (2007): The potential of fruiting trees to enhance converted habitats for migrating birds in southern Mexico. Bird Conservation International 17(1): 45-61. doi:10.1017/S0959270906000554 PDF full text
  • Hilty, Steven L. (2003): Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
  • Rohwer, Sievert, Hobson, Keith A., & Rohwer, Vanya (2009): Migratory double breeding in Neotropical migrant birds. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on line. doi:10.1073/pnas.0908121106 Abstract, PDF full text (subscription required)
  • Scharf, William C. & Kren, Josef (1996). Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: full text (subscription required)
  • Stiles, F. Gary & Skutch, Alexander Frank (1989): A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Comistock, Ithaca. ISBN 0-8014-9600-4

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Orchard oriole — Orchard Or chard, n. [AS. ortgeard, wyrtgeard, lit., wortyard, i. e., a yard for herbs; wyrt herb + geard yard. See {Wort}, {Yard} inclosure.] 1. A garden. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. An inclosure containing fruit trees; also, the fruit trees,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • orchard oriole — noun the male is chestnut and black • Syn: ↑Icterus spurius • Hypernyms: ↑New World oriole, ↑American oriole, ↑oriole • Member Holonyms: ↑Icterus, ↑genus Icterus …   Useful english dictionary

  • orchard oriole — sodinis spalvingasis trupialas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Icterus spurius angl. orchard oriole vok. Gartentrupial, m rus. садовый цветной трупиал, m pranc. oriole des vergers, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • orchard oriole — a North American oriole, Icterus spurius, the male of which is chestnut and black. [1800 10, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • Orchard — Or chard, n. [AS. ortgeard, wyrtgeard, lit., wortyard, i. e., a yard for herbs; wyrt herb + geard yard. See {Wort}, {Yard} inclosure.] 1. A garden. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. An inclosure containing fruit trees; also, the fruit trees, collectively; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Orchard grass — Orchard Or chard, n. [AS. ortgeard, wyrtgeard, lit., wortyard, i. e., a yard for herbs; wyrt herb + geard yard. See {Wort}, {Yard} inclosure.] 1. A garden. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. An inclosure containing fruit trees; also, the fruit trees,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Orchard house — Orchard Or chard, n. [AS. ortgeard, wyrtgeard, lit., wortyard, i. e., a yard for herbs; wyrt herb + geard yard. See {Wort}, {Yard} inclosure.] 1. A garden. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. An inclosure containing fruit trees; also, the fruit trees,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Oriole — O ri*ole, n. [OF. oriol, oriouz, orieus, F. loriot (for l oriol), fr. L. aureolus golden, dim. of aureus golden, fr. aurum gold. Cf. {Aureole}, {Oriel}, {Loriot}.] (Zo[ o]l.) (a) Any one of various species of Old World singing birds of the family …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • oriole — /awr ee ohl , ohr /, n. 1. any of several usually brightly colored, passerine birds of the family Oriolidae, of the Old World. Cf. golden oriole. 2. any of several brightly colored passerine birds of the family Icteridae, of the New World. Cf.… …   Universalium

  • Orchard (disambiguation) — An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs maintained for food production. Orchard may also refer to: Seed orchard, refers usually to a place where seeds for forest culture are produced Orchard FM, an independent radio station in… …   Wikipedia

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