Icterus bullockii
female
Bullock’s Oriole is a colorful and well-marked songbird. The sexes are dissimilar. Adult males have an orange face, supercilium, and underparts, with a black crown, eye stripe, nape, and back, and a narrow black line on the throat. The black wings show a broad white panel and white edges to the flight feathers. The rump is orange and the tail is black with orange outer feathers. All females have an olive-gray back; a yellow hood, breast, and flanks; and otherwise mostly whitish underparts. The dark wings have two white wingbars and white edges to the flight feathers. The rump and tail are yellowish. Immature males in fall are similar to an adult female but by their first spring they have acquired the adult male’s black mask and throat.
Bullock’s Oriole is present as a breeding species in western North America mainly from May to August. It spends the rest of the year in Mexico. Despite its colorful appearance, it can be hard to spot as it forages for insects in dappled foliage.
1st-spring male
male
FACT FILE
LENGTH 8.75 in (22 cm)
FOOD Invertebrates, seeds, and berries
HABITAT Open woodland, usually near water
STATUS Widespread and common summer visitor
VOICE Song is a series of shrill whistles, followed by more tuneful tuwee-weep notes. Call is a dry tchup
