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Project Noah Nature School
Icterus bullockii
Medium-sized songbird, with long tail, rather thin, straight, pointed bill, one large or two small wingbars on each dark wing, orange or orange-yellow, male bright orange with black back, throat, top of head, and nape, with a slender stripe through eye.
Rural scrub desert bordering riparian
Bullock's Orioles spend most of their time in tall trees in the American West. If you plan to put out Oriole feeders or orange halves for them, you need to position the feeders so they are visible from the tree tops. Oriole nests are woven with thousands of stitches and the tying of thousands of knots, all done solely with its beak. Orioles take as many as 15 days to weave their nests and the results are engineering masterpieces – woven hanging-basket nests made of plant fiber, grasses, vine and tree bark. Nests are hung on small branches six to 45 feet in the air, keeping them safe from predators. The Bullock's Oriole is one of the few bird species that will puncture and eject parasitic Brown-headed Cowbirds' eggs.
Spotted on Apr 24, 2011
Submitted on Sep 10, 2011
4 Comments
Lars, I agree! Bullock's Orioles are my favorites. Each spring I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting for them to arrive. Thanks for your comment!
what a bright beauty
Thank you, Alice! I should add that the bird in the background of picture #3 is an immature Scott's Oriole.
Very interesting information and an excellent series of pictures!