Oriole Bird Identification

The various species of orioles that live in the United States possess brilliantly colored plumage and are master nest builders. These birds include the Baltimore oriole, the orchard oriole, the hooded oriole and the Bullock's oriole.

  1. Baltimore Oriole

    • The Baltimore oriole, which took its name from the fact that its colors are the same as those of Lord Baltimore's coat of arms, is a gaudy orange with black wings and a black head.

    Orchard Oriole

    • The orchard oriole is North America's smallest at just 7 inches long and has a deep chestnut breast; the females are a yellow-green color. Orchard orioles will eat the nectar and the pollen of flowers.

    Bullock's Oriole

    • The Bullock's oriole is a very bright orange in the males of the species, with a black throat, back, nape and top of the head. A black stripe runs through the eye of the male. The females are much less attractive, being a combination of dull gray, brown, yellow and green.

    Hooded Oriole

    • The hooded oriole of California and the Southwest is yellow from the base of the belly up through the top of the head, but with a black face and back that makes it look as if it has a hood on.

    Considerations

    • Orioles weave a cuplike nest in the fork of a tree branch. The Baltimore oriole and the orchard oriole live in the eastern two thirds of the United States, while the Bullock's oriole is native to the western third.