Orchard Oriole

The Orchard Oriole’s latin name is Icterus spurius. They live around most of North America. Their preferred habitat is deciduous trees, river edges, orchards, forest edges, clearings, and brushy areas. The Orchard Oriole breeds from May through August. The female Orchard Oriole builds her nest in a variety of tree species, including maple, ash, cottonwood and willow. The Orchard Oriole nest is a hanging pouch or basket, not as deep as some oriole nests, woven of grass and plant fibers, lined with fine grass and plant down. They winter in southern parts. Their population status is of least concern.

The Orchard Oriole can be found at Coal Creek Farm in the summer. Their diet consists of mostly insects, including caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, as well as berries, nectar, and flowers. The Orchard Oriole song is a series of loud, clear whistles with a sing-song phrasing similar to an American Robin. If you search for images of Orchard Orioles, you’ll see that they have medium-length tails, rounded heads and a straight, sharply pointed bill. It has a deep, burnished russet color. And it is small. In fact, they are the smallest species of oriole in North America.

Orchard Orioles are slim songbirds, larger than warblers and vireos. They have medium-length tails, rounded heads, and a straight, sharply pointed bill. Adult males are black above and rich reddish-chestnut below. They have a black head and throat, with a reddish-chestnut patch at the bend of the wing. The female Orchard Oriole is greenish yellow with two white wing bars and no black. The Orchard Oriole bird forages for insects in the tops of trees. They also drink nectar from flowers and, in fall, eat berries and other fruits. Orchard Oriole nests can be found during the summer in open woodlands and areas of scattered trees across the eastern United States and southern Canada. The Orchard Oriole song is a series of loud, clear whistles with a sing-song phrasing similar to an American robin.