Baltimore Oriole

The Baltimore Oriole is one of the most vividly colored songbirds of eastern and central North America, with adult males displaying a bold contrast of flame-orange and black plumage. It breeds in open deciduous woodland and is a favorite visitor to backyard feeders offering fruit or sugar water.

Females and immature birds are considerably duller, showing yellow-orange tones with an olive-brown back rather than the sharp black-and-orange contrast of adult males, and young males may take up to two years to acquire full adult plumage.

Its feathers are distinctive for their vivid orange coloring paired with black wings and tail, with orange patches at the base and corners of an otherwise black tail.

Size and Shape

Medium-length, sturdy contour and flight feathers typical of an oriole.

Color and Pattern

• Adult male body feathers are vivid flame-orange on the underside and rump, with a solid black head, back, and wings.
• A single bold white wingbar crosses the black wing.
• Tail feathers are black with orange patches at the base and outer corners.
• Females and immatures are duller yellow-orange with an olive-brown back, lacking the solid black hood of adult males.

Comparisons

The solid black hood (rather than a black eyeline and throat stripe) separates adult male Baltimore Oriole feathers from the similar Bullock's Oriole, which shows orange cheeks and a black eyeline instead. The two species' ranges overlap narrowly in the Great Plains, where hybrids can show intermediate features.

Strong sexual dimorphism in adults: males show a black hood, back, and wings against vivid orange underparts, while females and immatures are yellow-orange with an olive-brown back. Males take up to two years to reach full adult plumage. One complete molt occurs annually after breeding.

Baltimore Orioles breed across the eastern and central United States and southern Canada in open deciduous woodland with tall trees, orchards, and parks. They winter in Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean, making them long-distance migrants.

This species builds a distinctive hanging, woven pouch nest suspended from the tips of tree branches. Its song is a series of clear, flutey whistled notes. It feeds on insects, nectar, and fruit, and is attracted to sugar-water and orange-half feeders in yards. A vivid orange-and-black feather, or an orange-cornered black tail feather, is a strong match for adult males of this species.