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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Orchard Oriole

The Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) is the smallest North American member of the Icterids - the Oriole & Blackbird family (Icteridea).  This is an adult male.  The adult female and the juvenile have olive-green on the upper parts and yellowish on the breast and belly. Orchard Orioles are considered to be adults after their second year. One-year-old males are yellow-greenish with a black bib.  (Wikipedia)


Yesterday I thought all the orioles had left.   None visiting the orange/jam feeders.  It was lonely, I tell ya, after some ten days of high oriole activity in the yard and suddenly nothing - not one.  Then, the rain clouds moved in (sigh, we seriously don't need any more rain for a while) and a few Baltimores and two Orchards came into the yard. 


Interesting Facts from WhatBird.com
 - A group of orchard orioles are collectively known as a "harvest" of orioles.
 - It is a late spring migrant, but it heads back southward quickly. Some orioles may return to their wintering grounds as early as mid-July.


The End


Click on pix for larger & clearer, if you want to.

4 comments:

  1. How exciting to get an Orchard Oriole! Congratulations on the photos.

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  2. Thanks for sharing the great Orchard Oriole photos. You're so lucky with your yard birds. Val

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  3. Thank You, ladies. Sorry I haven't acknowledged your comments until now. I've been out galavanting around the province!

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