New World orioles are medium-sized songbirds known for vibrant orange and yellow plumage. There are dozens of oriole species, but only a few that you’re likely to encounter in the contiguous United States.
Although widespread, orioles aren’t the easiest birds to get a clean look at. They’re shy, hang out high up in treetops, and aren’t easily lured to backyard bird feeders.
Let’s get better acquainted with gorgeous, elusive orioles. Here’s what we’ll cover:
- How orioles are classified
- Types of orioles that occur in North America
- Tips for spotting orioles and attracting orioles to backyard feeders
How Are Orioles Classified?
Depending on where you are in the world, an oriole is a member of one of these two groups:
Group | Taxonomy | Distribution |
New World Orioles | 30 species within the Icterus genus of the Icteridae (blackbird) family | The Americas |
Old World Orioles | Oriolidae family | Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia |
New World and Old World orioles are similar in terms of size, plumage, diet, and behavior. However, the two groups are not close genetic relatives—Old World orioles are in the Oriolidae family and New World orioles are in the Icteridae family.
The New World oriole group is classified as follows:
- Kingdon: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves (birds)
- Order: Passeriformes (“perching birds”)
- Family: Icteridae (New World blackbirds)
- Genus: Icterus
The Icteridae family includes a number of familiar medium-sized songbirds, like red-winged blackbirds, grackles, and cowbirds. The Icterus genus consists of 33 total species: 30 orioles and three troupials.
Which New World Orioles Occur in North America?
Source: All About Birds
New world orioles are more diverse and abundant as you travel south. Just a handful of oriole species are common in the US, with plenty more in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
Here are the oriole species you’re most likely to see in the contiguous United States:
- Baltimore oriole
- Orchard oriole
- Scott’s oriole
- Bullock’s oriole
- Hooded oriole
Orioles are migratory.
Species that occur in North America arrive at their northern nesting range in April or May, then head south in July or August to spend the winter in Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, or South America.
The northern breeding range is where the important work of nesting and breeding happens.
However, like many migratory birds, an oriole spends the greater part of each year in its southern winter range or in transit. Thus, North American birdwatchers have just a few months per year to glimpse orioles.
Let’s take a closer look at North America’s orioles.
Note that the descriptions below of plumage color mostly refer to males.
Female orioles are typically similarly colored, but female plumage is less bright, more variable, and more easily confused with other species.
5 Most Common North American Orioles
Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore Oriole is the best-known member of the bunch. It’s also the only instance of an oriole as a state bird, representing Maryland. The species is widespread in the eastern US and Canada.
Males have bright orange undersides. The head and back are black and the wings are black with a single white wingbar.
Orchard Oriole
Compared to Baltimores, orchard orioles have a similar color scheme but with a darker shade of chestnut orange. They’re also slightly smaller.
Orchard orioles are common in open woodlands, parks, and orchards. Their range is more southern than Baltimores, with barely any presence in Canada and breeding populations as far south as Florida and Mexico.
Scott’s Oriole
Scott’s orioles are desert birds with a summer range that covers parts of Texas, the Southwest, southern California, and Mexico. Scott’s orioles rely on desert vegetation like palms and yuccas for nesting and foraging.
Males are lemon-yellow underneath. The head and breast are black and the wings are black with white wingbars.
Bullock’s Oriole
This is the most widespread oriole in the western US, with a breeding range that extends from Mexico to Canada. Bullock’s orioles nest near streams in open woodlands, orchards, and parks.
The underside and face of a Bullock’s oriole are light orange or yellow. The back, tail, and wings are black, although a large white wingbar takes up plenty of space on the wings. Bits of black cover the throat, the top of the head, and the area around the eyes.
Hooded Oriole
Hooded orioles are short-distance migrants. Summer nesting occurs from the central California coast to the Texas panhandle. Most hooded orioles head to southwestern Mexico for the winter. There are also some smaller resident populations in Belize and on the east and west coasts of Mexico.
Hooded orioles share a similar color pattern to Bullock’s orioles.
The clearest difference is that hooded orioles have black around the throat and face that forms a border around the eyes, while Bullock’s orioles have a black stripe around the eyes from the bill to the back of the head. Bullock’s orioles also have more white coloring on the wings.
Other New World Orioles
Three other oriole species have ranges that just barely touch the edges of the contiguous US.
Audubon’s orioles and Altamira orioles occur in the southern tip of Texas. Streak-backed orioles are occasionally spotted in southern California or southern Arizona.
A few oriole species have very limited ranges. The Puerto Rican oriole, Hispaniolan oriole, Cuban oriole, and Bahama oriole are each only found on the respective islands they’re named after.
The remaining oriole species occur in various parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
How to Spot an Oriole
Interested in adding an oriole to your life list?
Orioles are terrific “goal birds” for intermediate-level birders. You don’t have to go to the ends of the earth to see one, but you might have to do some genuine searching.
If you’re hoping to see—or wondering if you already have seen—an oriole, first consider the season. In most parts of the US, orioles can be spotted in the spring and summer but not in the fall or winter.
The best habitat for oriole sightings depends on the species. In general, oriole habitat is open woodland areas near streams or rivers.
Orioles aren’t urban birds, but they also don’t head for the deepest part of a forest. Settings such as large public parks, orchards, and the edges of forests are ideal for spotting orioles.
Look for them high up in the treetops.
While you scan for flashes of orange and yellow, keep an eye out for interesting nests, too.
Oriole nests are tightly woven from thin fibers and often feature a unique characteristic—they hang from branches. This is an entirely different design compared to typical bird nests that are fully supported from underneath by branches or platforms.
Female orioles craft these amazing structures in a process that looks a lot like crochet or knitting.
If you spot a nest hanging like a sock, it might belong to an oriole family, holding as many as seven eggs or hatchlings.
Do Orioles Visit Bird Feeders?
Orioles aren’t tempted by birdseed, but they’ll occasionally visit backyard feeding stations when fresh fruit is on the menu.
The best option for attracting orioles to your yard is orange slices. Orioles are believed to be particularly enticed by the color orange.
To set up an orange slice feeder, just cut an orange in half and run sticks or kebab skewers through the slices. Then, tie the sticks to a railing or fence or find a similar way to present a spot where orioles can safely perch and feed at the same time.
Other favored snacks include:
- Raisins
- Grapes
- Berries
- Grape jelly
To avoid unsafe ingredients, you can purchase jelly made specifically for birds from wildlife supply retailers. Remember to remove foods before they spoil and to individually research new items that you add to your feeding area.
Orioles also sometimes take sips from hummingbird feeders. However, orioles don’t share the unique hummingbird ability to hover, so they can only use a feeder that provides a perch.
If you’d like to supply nectar to hummers and orioles separately, there are bird feeders made specifically for orioles, including some that hold liquid nectar and others built for fruit. An oriole feeder can be a fun project, but it’s usually only worth the effort if you live in certain oriole-rich areas.
If you want to offer liquid nectar to orioles, use the same mix you would use for hummingbirds. Check out our hummingbird food guide to learn all you need to know.
James has always been an avid outdoorsman. Since a kid, he kept a journal of all the different birds and species he saw. Now he wants to share his passion with other birders with Happy Birding!