Audubon’s Oriole
Icterus graduacauda

We once called these birds the Black-Headed Oriole. Aside from in south Texas, these birds make their homes in Mexico.
These birds are non migratory in their range, and so we find them year round wherever they live. Brown-Headed and Bronzed Cowbirds regularly lay their eggs in these and other oriole’s nests.
Science recognises four subspecies of the Audubon’s Oriole:
- I. g. nayaritensis lives in southwestern Mexico in the state of Nayarit.
- I. g. dickeyae lives further south in southern Oaxaca.
- I. g. graduacauda lives on the southern Mexican Plateau.
- I. g. audubonii lives in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.
My only meetings with this species came during visits to the National Butterfly Center in Mission Texas.

Audubon's Oriole(Icterus graduacauda) |
Description: These resident orioles appreciated the food offerings the staff provided. For my last expedition while camped in Palmview (Texas), I drove two miles to explore the National Butterfly Center near Mission. I found it was a lovely place to meet birds and some like-minded nature lovers. |
Date Taken: 2021:02:25 12:21 |
Location:
National Butterfly Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AudubonsOriole_D5X5884-NationalButterflyCenter |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Audubon's Oriole(Icterus graduacauda) |
Description: These resident orioles appreciated the food offerings the staff provided. For my last expedition while camped in Palmview (Texas), I drove two miles to explore the National Butterfly Center near Mission. I found it was a lovely place to meet birds and some like-minded nature lovers. |
Date Taken: 2021:02:25 10:56 |
Location:
National Butterfly Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AudubonsOriole_D5X5547-NationalButterflyCenter |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Audubon's Oriole(Icterus graduacauda) |
Description: These resident orioles appreciated the food offerings the staff provided. For my last expedition while camped in Palmview (Texas), I drove two miles to explore the National Butterfly Center near Mission. I found it was a lovely place to meet birds and some like-minded nature lovers. |
Date Taken: 2021:02:25 10:56 |
Location:
National Butterfly Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AudubonsOriole_D5X5532-NationalButterflyCenter |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Audubon's Oriole(Icterus graduacauda) |
Description: The appearance of Audubon’s Orioles added another oriole species to our list. As part of The Great Texas Birding Classic, The National Butterfly Center held a “Big Sit” event on Sunday. They invited me to join the team, and in between shifts, I walked the grounds in search of photo opportunities. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:25 16:50 |
Location:
National Butterfly Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: AudubonsOriole_D5X1562-NationalButterflyCenter |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

Click map markers to reveal further information