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NEW WORLD ORIOLES AND BLACKBIRDS (ICTERIDAE; 21+

SPECIES) Medium-size to large songbirds with pointed bills, strong legs and feet. Include

arboreal, fruit-eating orioles, oropendolas, and caciques, and largely terrestrial, seed-eating

blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds. Ages/sexes similar or different, with males larger than females,

sometimes strikingly so; attain adult appearance within 1st year.

ORIOLES (GENUS ICTERUS) (6 species). Colorful arboreal ‘blackbirds,’ often with complex

age/sex plumage differences. For ID note overall size and structure, especially bill size and shape, plus

wing patterns.

STREAK-BACKED ORIOLE  Icterus pustulatus 18–21cm. Drier woodland,

gallery forest, scrub, semi-open country with hedgerows, gardens, forest

patches. Mainly at flowering and fruiting trees, often in pairs. Streaked back

distinctive, but can be poorly marked on juv. Also note relatively extensive

white on wings, straight pointed bill, cf. Spot-breasted Oriole. Bulkier than

Baltimore Oriole, with dark tip to mandible, usually a distinct white flash at

base of primaries. Sexes similar, adult male averages brightest, 1st-year female

dullest. SOUNDS: Varied, short nasal and squeaky chirps, often repeated steadily;

upslurred nasal yehh and ehn; fairly rapid dry chatters and rattles, up to 2 secs,

rarely more prolonged; faster and drier than Spot-breasted Oriole. Song a hesitant, slightly jerky series of

slurred squeaky whistles, nasal chirps, and short dry rattles. STATUS: Fairly common on n. Pacific slope, to

500m. (Mexico to Costa Rica.)

SPOT-BREASTED ORIOLE  Icterus pectoralis 21–23cm. Woodland, gallery

forest, scrub, semi-open country with hedgerows, gardens, forest patches.

Mainly at flowering and fruiting trees, often in pairs. Adult distinctive, with

black back, variable spotted breast sides (spots can be small and mostly worn

away by late summer), white panel on wing. Also note slightly decurved bill,

lack of white wingbars, cf. Streak-backed Oriole. SOUNDS: Nasal nyeh, often

repeated; clipped squeaky tchiu; harsh staccato chatter, cheh-cheh..., relatively

slow-paced, often fairly soft. Song a pleasing, unhurried warble or slow chant of

rich slurred whistles, often some phrases repeated with rhythmic caroling

cadence, at times in duet. STATUS: Uncommon on n. Pacific slope; mainly below 500m, but spreading

higher into Central Valley. (Mexico to Costa Rica.)

BALTIMORE ORIOLE  Icterus galbula 18–20.5cm. Widespread winter migrant

to forest and edge, semi-open areas with hedgerows, gardens, plantations,

second growth. Often in small groups, moving in canopy of flowering and

fruiting trees, at times lower in scrub. Adult male striking and distinctive, with

black head and back, orange body; female and imm. variable, but always with

straight pointed bill, orange plumage tones, bold white wingbars; some adult

females and imm, males have extensive black mottling on head and back.

SOUNDS:  Gruff staccato chatter, slower-paced than Streak-backed Oriole.

Occasional mellow whistles, mainly in spring. STATUS:  Fairly common to

common Oct–early Apr on both slopes to 1800m, in smaller numbers to 2700m; more widespread in

migration, Sep–Oct, Apr–early May. (Breeds N America, winters Mexico to nw. S America.)

ORCHARD ORIOLE  Icterus spurius 15–17cm. Small migrant oriole of hedge­

rows, gardens, second growth, plantations, scrub. Often in small groups, feeding

low to high in flowering trees and bushes. Small size and small, slightly decurved

bill distinctive. Chestnut body plumage of adult male unique among orioles;

female and imm. greenish yellow with distinct white wingbars. SOUNDS: Low

gruff chuk and gruff chattering chuh-chuh..., lower and more spluttering, less

dry and staccato than Baltimore Oriole. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common

Oct–Feb on both slopes, to 1500m, mainly Pacific slope; more widespread in

migration, late Jul–Sep, Mar–Apr. (Breeds N America to Mexico, winters

Mexico to nw. S America.)