Audubon's Oriole

Audubon's Oriole

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A predominantly Mexican bird, the Audubon's Oriole reaches the United States only in southern Texas. It is a rather secretive oriole, living in denser vegetation than most other orioles and singing from inconspicuous perches.

Description

• Medium-sized songbird.
• Yellowish body.
• Black hood.
• Black wings.
• Long, black tail.
• Straight, pointed bill.

• Size: 19-24 cm (7-9 in)
• Wingspan: 32 cm (13 in)
• Weight: 31-53 g (1.09-1.87 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike, female may be duller.

Sound

Song a series of slow, slurred whistles. Calls include a nasal "ike, ike, ike" and a whistled "peu."

Conservation Status

Has declined in Texas. Not listed as at risk in any part of its range. Vulnerability to habitat loss and fragmentation (particularly cowbird parasitism) suggests that special measures may be needed to maintain some populations.

Other Names

Oriole d'Audubon (French)
Bolsero cabeza negra, Bolsero Capuchinegra, Chorcha cabeza negra, Calandria hierera (Spanish)
Black-headed Oriole (English)

Cool Facts

• This Audubon's Oriole is the only black-hooded New World oriole (with an entirely black head and breast but not back). Indeed, it was formerly known as the Black-headed Oriole, but this name was changed in 1983 to Audubon's Oriole to avoid confusion with an Old World group of species in the genus Oriolus, the true orioles.
• The Audubon's Oriole is a favored host of the nest-parasitic Bronzed Cowbird. In Texas, more than half of all oriole nests have cowbird eggs in them.

Sources used to construct this page:

Flood, N. J., J. D. Rising, and T. Brush. 2002. Audubon's Oriole (Icterus graduacauda). In The Birds of North America, No. 691 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.