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Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula ORDER: PASSERIFORMES FAMILY: ICTERIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

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Baltimore Oriole Photo

© Marie Read

With its brilliant orange and black plumage, the Baltimore Oriole's arrival is eagerly awaited by birders each spring migration. Its preference for open areas with tall trees has made it a common inhabitant of parks and suburban areas.

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Appearance

Blackbirdlike
Blackbirdlike
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Medium-sized songbird.
  • Male brilliant orange with black head.

Male Description

Head, throat, mantle, wings, and tail black. Underparts, shoulders, tip and edges of tail, and rump orange to yellow orange. May be deeper orange on chest. Single white wingbar; orange shoulder makes a second wingbar. Bill pointed and silvery.

Female Description

Variable in appearance. May be similar to male, but head more dark brownish olive than black, and body paler orange. Usually face, throat, and underparts orange. Tail brownish olive, without black. White in shoulder gives it two white wingbars.

Immature Description

Immature similar to female, but paler and without black on head and back. May have gray belly. Young male looks like adult only in second fall.

Range Map Help

Baltimore Oriole Range Map
View dynamic map of eBird sightings

Field MarksHelp

Similar Species

  • Orchard Oriole male is smaller and deep chestnut, not orange; female is greenish yellow, not orange-yellow.
  • Bullock's Oriole male has large white patch on wings, orange on face, and a black eyeline for each eye.
  • Female Bullock's similar to paler Baltimore female and immature, but is grayer on back, more yellow than orange, has a whitish belly, and its yellow auriculars contrast with its crown. It also has a serrated-appearing upper wingbar, rather than a broad smooth one, and broad whitish edges to greater primary coverts on wing rather than just white tips.