Bullock's Oriole
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 Male
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| Icterus bullockii (Swainson, 1827) |
The Bullock's Oriole, Icterus bullockii, is a small blackbird. At one time, this species and the Baltimore Oriole were considered to be a single species, the Northern Oriole.
Adults have a pointed bill. The adult male is orange on the underparts, face and rump with black everywhere else; they have a white wing patch. The adult female is grey-brown on the upper parts, dull yellow on the breast and belly and has wing bars.
Their breeding habitat is the edges of deciduous and mixed woods across western North America. The range of this bird overlaps with that of the similar Baltimore Oriole in the east; these two birds sometimes interbreed where their ranges overlap. The nest is a tightly woven pouch located on the end of a branch.
These birds migrate to Mexico and Central America.
These birds forage in trees and shrubs, also making short flights to catch insects. They mainly eat insects, berries and nectar.
This bird's song is similar to that of the Baltimore Oriole, but faster and somewhat more harsh.
This bird was named after William Bullock, an English amateur naturalist.
[edit] Interesting Bullock's Oriole Facts
• In the 1800s an ornithologist concluded that the Baltimore Oriole and Bullock’s Oriole were one and the same species and grouped them under one name – the Northern Oriole. More recent studies show that in fact they are two distinct species and they were categorized separately again. However, these two birds hybridize often, especially when they meet at the Great Plains.
• Male Bullock’s Orioles sing a different song from their female counterparts. The female’s song often sounds harsher but she sings more than the male bird.
Read more About The Bullock's Oriole
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Icterus bullockii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
[edit] External links
- Bullock's Oriole Information - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Bullock's Oriole Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bullock's Oriole - Icterus bullockii - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Bullock's Oriole (BirdHouses101.com)
