Icterus galbula
The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is a vibrant and unmistakable songbird, renowned for its fiery orange and deep black plumage in males, a striking contrast that makes it a favorite among birders. Measuring 17-22 cm (6.7-8.7 in) in length with a wingspan of 23-30 cm (9.1-11.8 in) and weighing 30-42 g (1.1-1.5 oz), males sport a solid black hood, back, wings, and tail, beautifully offset by a brilliant orange breast, belly, and shoulder patches, accented by a single bold white wing bar. F...
Baltimore Orioles primarily inhabit open deciduous woodlands, forest edges, riparian corridors, suburban parks, and orchards, typically at low to mid-elevations.
Their diet consists mainly of insects, particularly caterpillars, beetles, and spiders, especially during the breeding season; they also consume a significant amount of ripe fruits and flower nectar.
Baltimore Orioles are diurnal and primarily solitary outside the breeding season, though they may form loose flocks during migration. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning insects and spiders from foliage, probing flowers for nectar, and plucking ripe fruits from trees, typically in the canop...
The Baltimore Oriole's breeding range spans eastern North America, extending from southern Canada, specifically southeastern Manitoba eastward through Quebec and the Maritime provinces, south through the Great Plains to central Texas, and across the eastern United States to the Atlantic seaboard,...
Least Concern
- The Baltimore Oriole was named by Linnaeus in 1766, honoring Lord Baltimore, the colonial proprietor of Maryland, whose family crest bore the same black and orange colors as the bird's plumage. - It is the official state bird of Maryland, and its vibrant colors inspired the uniforms of the Balt...