Orchard Oriole

Orchard Oriole in Grand Manan

Orchard Oriole Immature Male

 On May 10, we were fortunate to see and photograph an immature Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) while visiting Grand Manan.  This bird was faithful to the area around the home of one of Grand Manan's faithful bird feeders.  As you can see in the photo, it was enjoying fresh oranges.  The bird would visit the oranges 5 or 6 times a day and feed heavily on the orange flesh.  Baltimore Orioles were enjoying them too but the two species of orioles would not tolerate one another.  The Orchard Oriole would wait for the Baltimore to finish before flying into the tree.

The Orchard Oriole is North America's smallest oriole.  It arrives in the late spring and leaves early for its wintering grounds.  Some leave as early as mid-July.  It breeds normally in the mid-US as far north as the Canadian border and southern New England.   It winters in Mexico south to northern South America.  Although rare here, it is fairly common throughout its normal breeding range.  It prefers open forests and edges with flowering trees, urban parks and riparian zones.

Orchard Oriole Immature Male

The immature male Orchard Oriole is bright yellow with a black throat patch and lores (area between eye and bill).  It has two conspicuous white wing bars, as do both the adult male and female.  The adult female is bright yellow with a greenish back and no black at all.  The adult male looks very different with a black hood, back and throat patch.  He shows deep chestnut on the belly, sides and rump.  He also shows the two white wing bars.

The male sings a high-pitched warbling whistle.  The Orchard Oriole weaves a hanging nest similar to that of the Baltimore Oriole.  It usually is attached to  the fork of a tree or bush.  It lays 3 to 7 pale blue or gray eggs with gray, purple or brown spots.  The Orchard Oriole feeds on insects, nectar, flowers and fruit.

Orchard Oriole Immature Male

The Orchard Oriole is a very rare spring visitor to New Brunswick.  Visitors are often immature birds probably dispersing from their home range.  Some have stayed into summer when they probably return southward.  That is probably what this individual will do.

Orchard Oriole Adult Male [Internet Photo]

There are 10 species of orioles that can be seen in North America.  Some are seen only in the most southerly parts of Florida or California or Arizona.  They are very beautiful birds and we are lucky to have the Baltimore Oriole here and occasionally we get to see the Orchard Oriole.