New World orioles, comprising the genus
Icterus, are a group of
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
s in the
IcteridThe Icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most species have black as a predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The name, meaning "jaundiced ones" comes from the Ancient Greek ikteros, through the Latin...
ae family. They are not related to the Old World orioles which are in the family
OriolidaeOrioles are colourful Old World passerine birds in the genus Oriolus, the namesake of the corvoidean family Oriolidae. They are not related to the New World orioles, which are icterids , and belonging to the superfamily Passeroidea songbirds quite unrelated to the true orioles.The orioles are a...
, but are strikingly similar in size, diet, behaviour and their yellow-and-black
plumageFeathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates. They are among the outstanding characteristics that distinguish the extant Aves from other living groups....
, a good example of
convergent evolutionConvergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are similar in...
, and almost inevitably took the same vernacular name.
The males are typically black and yellow or orange, with white markings; the plumage of females and immature birds is duller.
New World orioles, comprising the genus
Icterus, are a group of
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
s in the
IcteridThe Icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most species have black as a predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The name, meaning "jaundiced ones" comes from the Ancient Greek ikteros, through the Latin...
ae family. They are not related to the Old World orioles which are in the family
OriolidaeOrioles are colourful Old World passerine birds in the genus Oriolus, the namesake of the corvoidean family Oriolidae. They are not related to the New World orioles, which are icterids , and belonging to the superfamily Passeroidea songbirds quite unrelated to the true orioles.The orioles are a...
, but are strikingly similar in size, diet, behaviour and their yellow-and-black
plumageFeathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates. They are among the outstanding characteristics that distinguish the extant Aves from other living groups....
, a good example of
convergent evolutionConvergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are similar in...
, and almost inevitably took the same vernacular name.
The males are typically black and yellow or orange, with white markings; the plumage of females and immature birds is duller. These birds go through one
moultIn biology, moulting signifies the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body , either at specific times of year, or at specific points in its life-cycle.Moulting can involve the epidermis , pelage In biology, moulting (or molting, also known as sloughing, shedding or for...
in a year. They are generally slender with long tails and a pointed bill. They mainly eat
insectInsects are arthropods, having a hard exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet and include more than a million species that are already described. Insects represent more than half of all...
s, often also nectar and
fruitThe term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds, and the presence of seeds indicates that a structure is most likely a fruit, though not all seeds come from...
. The nest is a woven pouch. Several species are easy to attract to birdtables by the provision of cut
orangesAn orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus ×sinensis and its fruit. The orange is a hybrid of ancient cultivated origin, possibly between pomelo and tangerine...
and grape jelly, both are favored by orioles. The species nesting in areas with cold winters (including most of the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) are strongly
migratoryBird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. These however are usually irregular or in only one direction and are termed variously as nomadism, invasions,...
, while subtropical and tropical species are more sedentary.
The name "oriole" was first recorded (in the
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
form
oriolus) by
Albertus MagnusSaint Albertus Magnus, O.P. , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of science and religion. He is considered to be the greatest German philosopher...
in about 1250, and was stated by him to be
onomatopoeicAn onomatopoeia or onomatopœia, from the Greek ὀνοματοποιία , is a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Onomatopoeia refers to the property of such words. Common occurrences of onomatopoeias include animal noises, such as "oink" or
"meow" or...
, from the song of the European
Golden OrioleThe Golden Oriole or European Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus, is the only member of the oriole family of passerine birds to breed in northern hemisphere temperate regions. It is a summer migrant to Europe and western Asia, wintering in the tropics.It is a bird of tall deciduous trees in woodland,...
.
The genus name
Icterus as used by classical authors, referred to a bird with yellow or green plumage. In modern times this has been identified as the
golden orioleThe Golden Oriole or European Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus, is the only member of the oriole family of passerine birds to breed in northern hemisphere temperate regions. It is a summer migrant to Europe and western Asia, wintering in the tropics.It is a bird of tall deciduous trees in woodland,...
.
BrissonMathurin Jacques Brisson was a French zoologist and natural philosopher.Brisson was born at Fontenay-le-Comte. The earlier part of his life was spent in the pursuit of natural history, his published works in this department including Le Règne animal and Ornithologie...
re-applied the name to the New World birds because of their similarity in appearance.
Provisional species list
This
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
list is provisional. The exact delimitation of several taxa is unclear, and hybridization seems to be a significant confounding factor, for example in the
BaltimoreThe Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, is a small icterid blackbird which is on average 18 cm long and weighs 34 g. This bird received its name from the fact that the male's colors resemble those on the coat-of-arms of Lord Baltimore...
and
Bullock's OrioleThe Bullock's Oriole, Icterus bullockii, is a small blackbird. At one time, this species and the Baltimore Oriole were considered to be a single species, the Northern Oriole....
:
- Epaulet Oriole
The Epaulet Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. The Moriche Oriole, formerly considered a distinct species The Epaulet Oriole (Icterus cayanensis) is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. The Moriche Oriole, formerly considered a distinct species The Epaulet Oriole (Icterus...
, Icterus cayanensis
- Moriche Oriole
The Moriche Oriole, Icterus cayanensis chrysocephalus, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It is unrelated to Old World orioles . It is a breeding resident in the tropics of eastern South America...
, Icterus cayanensis chrysocephalus - recently merged into I. cayanensis
- Yellow-backed Oriole
The Yellow-backed Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family.-Geographic Distribution:It is found in Belize, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela.-Habitats:...
, Icterus chrysater
- Yellow Oriole
The Yellow Oriole, Icterus nigrogularis, is a passerine bird in the family Icteridae. It should not be confused with the Australasian Yellow Oriole, Oriolus flavocinctus, which is an Old World oriole...
, Icterus nigrogularis
- Jamaican Oriole
The Jamaican Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in Jamaica and on the Colombian island of San Andrés...
, Icterus leucopteryx
- Grand Cayman Oriole, Icterus leucopteryx bairdi - extinct (mid-20th century)
- Orange Oriole
The Orange Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in Belize and Mexico.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and heavily degraded former forest.-References:...
, Icterus auratus
- Yellow-tailed Oriole
The Yellow-tailed Oriole, Icterus mesomelas, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds from southern Mexico to western Peru and northwestern Venezuela; in Peru it also lives in a river valley corridor....
, Icterus mesomelas
- Orange-crowned Oriole
The Orange-crowned Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela....
, Icterus auricapillus
- White-edged Oriole
The White-edged Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Icterus graceannae
- Spot-breasted Oriole
The Spot-breasted Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family.It is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the United States....
, Icterus pectoralis
- Altamira Oriole
The Altamira Oriole, Icterus gularis, is a New World oriole. The bird is widespread in subtropical lowlands of the Mexican Gulf Coast and northern Central America, the Pacific coast and inland. It also can be found in the extreme south of Texas, .At 25 cm and 56 grams, this is the largest oriole...
, Icterus gularis
- Streak-backed Oriole
The Streak-backed Oriole, Icterus pustulatus, is a medium-sized icterid ....
, Icterus pustulatus
- Bullock's Oriole
The Bullock's Oriole, Icterus bullockii, is a small blackbird. At one time, this species and the Baltimore Oriole were considered to be a single species, the Northern Oriole....
, Icterus bullockii
- Hooded Oriole
The Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus, is a medium-sized New World oriole.Adults have a pointed bill and white wing bars. The adult male has an orange head with black on the face and throat; they are black on the back, wings and tail, orange on the underparts...
, Icterus cucullatus
- Troupial
The Venezuelan Troupial or Troupial , also known as Icterus icterus is the national bird of Venezuela and one of about 25 or so species of "New World Orioles".-Description:...
, Icterus icterus
- Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, is a small icterid blackbird which is on average 18 cm long and weighs 34 g. This bird received its name from the fact that the male's colors resemble those on the coat-of-arms of Lord Baltimore...
, Icterus galbula
- Black-backed Oriole
The Black-backed Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is endemic to Mexico.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
, Icterus abeillei
- Orchard Oriole
-Identification:The Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius, is the smallest species of icterid blackbird at 6.3 inches long and a weight of 20 g. The adult male has chestnut on the underparts, shoulder, and rump, with the rest of the plumage being black. The adult female has olive- green on the upper...
, Icterus spurius
- Fuertes's Oriole, Icterus (spurius) fuertesi
- Black-cowled Oriole
The Black-cowled Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family.It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and possibly Honduras....
, Icterus prosthemelas
- Greater Antillean Oriole
The Greater Antillean Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family found in the West Indies. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest.-Taxonomy:...
, Icterus dominicensis
- Hispaniolan Oriole, Icterus dominicensis dominicensis
- Black-vented Oriole
The Black-vented Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the United States....
, Icterus wagleri
- St. Lucia Oriole, Icterus laudabilis
- Martinique Oriole
The Martinique Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is endemic to Martinique.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and plantations .-References:* BirdLife...
, Icterus bonana
- Montserrat Oriole
The Montserrat Oriole, Icterus oberi, is a medium-sized black-and-yellow icterid ....
, Icterus oberi
- Audubon's Oriole
Audubon’s Oriole , is a New World passerine inhabiting the forests and thickets of southeastern Texas and the Mexican coast. It is the only species to have a black hood and yellow body. It is divided into four subspecies and two allopatric breeding ranges...
, Icterus graduacauda
- Bar-winged Oriole
The Bar-winged Oriole is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico....
, Icterus maculialatus
- Scott's Oriole
The Scott's Oriole, Icterus parisorum, is a medium-sized icterid ....
, Icterus parisorum
- Campo Oriole
The Campo Oriole or Campo Troupial is a species of bird in the Icteridae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, and Peru....
, Icterus jamacaii
External links