Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Also known as: Northern Oriole
Habitat
Canopy
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
33 g
About This Species
Look high in deciduous canopy for this striking orange-and-black songbird, which favours open woodland, riverside groves and shade trees in towns across eastern North America. Its distinctive hanging, sock-like nest woven from plant fibres is often visible after leaf fall, even though the bird itself is easiest to see and hear in late spring and early summer, when males sing a rich, flute-like whistle from exposed perches. Orange slices or nectar feeders can draw birds into gardens during spring migration.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Viewing from beneath the canopy at a normal walking distance rarely disturbs foraging or singing birds, but climbing toward or handling an active nest should be avoided entirely.
- In the United States and Canada this species and its nest are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, making disturbance, capture or egg collection illegal.
- Leaving nest trees undisturbed through the nesting season, even after leaves obscure the nest from view, gives the best chance of a successful brood.
LCAvesPasseriformesIcteridae
Seasonal Activity
4,097,528 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Icteridae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Canopy
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 33 g
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.