Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius
Orchard Orioles winter from southern Mexico, south to Columbia in South America, but breed from central Mexico north through eastern USA from North Dakota east to New England. Most orioles feature yellow and black in their plumage, but the males of this species have cinnamon coloration instead of the yellow of their cousins.
Where the habitat is rich in food supplies, these birds may nest with several pairs in the same tree.
Science recognises three subspecies of Orchard Oriole:
- I. s. spurius breeds across most of eastern USA and south to the Mexican interior.
- I. s. phillipsi breeds in the Mexican Plateau from central Durango, and south through northern Michoacán.
- I. s. fuertesi breeds from southern Tamaulipas to Veracruz (Mexico). Some researchers believe that I. s. fuertesi is a separate species, the Fuertes’s Oriole.
I’d never met the Orchard Oriole until my expedition to Texas in 2020. Even then, my encounters were frustratingly brief. Fortunately, my return to Texas in 2021 rewarded me with more intimate meetings.
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: I found some nice birds, including three oriole species at a roadside rest area about one hour east of Fort Stockton Texas to break the monotony of the I-10 freeway. I was surprised how many birds I found. There were 3 oriole species, 3 flycatcher species, and cactus wrens. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:09 17:52 |
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Location:
East Pecos County Rest Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D505391-EastPecosCounty |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
|
Description: I found some nice birds, including three oriole species at a roadside rest area about one hour east of Fort Stockton Texas to break the monotony of the I-10 freeway. I was surprised how many birds I found. There were 3 oriole species, 3 flycatcher species, and cactus wrens. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:09 17:52 |
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Location:
East Pecos County Rest Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D505406-EastPecosCounty |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: With their burnt orange plumage, the male Orchard Oriole is hard to mistake for its other oriole cousins. My second full day on South Padre Island, Texas was less birdy than my first day, but still I met some great birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:02 10:56 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/4000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D502250-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: Orchard Orioles winter well south of the USA. Some may stay here in south Texas to breed, while most will migrate north as far as south-central Canada. Tuesday's all day visit to capture images at the SPI Convention Centre was fruitful. The folks I met were great, and the birds were amazing. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:30 14:04 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X7715-SPI_ConventionCenter |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
|
Description: Orchard Orioles winter well south of the USA. Some may stay here in south Texas to breed, while most will migrate north as far as south-central Canada. Tuesday's all day visit to capture images at the SPI Convention Centre was fruitful. The folks I met were great, and the birds were amazing. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:30 14:04 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X7719-SPI_ConventionCenter |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: Orchard Orioles winter in southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. A few of these birds will stay in south Texas, but most will continue their migration throughout most of the USA east of the Rockies. With spring migration on South Padre Island (Texas) picking up, there’s no other place I’d rather be in April. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:02 9:52 |
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Location:
Sheepshead Bird Sanctuary |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X9506-SheepsheadBirdSanctuary |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: These Orchard Orioles were hard to catch. Like Sally Rand’s fan dance, they seemed to know just how to strategically position foliage between themselves and my camera. April on South Padre Island provides me with close encounters like no other place I’ve ever visited. By most experienced birders here, it will only get better in the coming weeks. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:04 12:16 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X1209-SPI_ConvCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
|
Description: These Orchard Orioles were hard to catch. Like Sally Rand’s fan dance, they seemed to know just how to strategically position foliage between themselves and my camera. April on South Padre Island provides me with close encounters like no other place I’ve ever visited. By most experienced birders here, it will only get better in the coming weeks. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:04 12:16 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X1192-SPI_ConvCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: I’m finding male Orchard Orioles difficult to capture in an unobstructed view. I was marginally more successful this day. Last year the global pandemic prevented me from experiencing the full effects of spring migration in south Texas. This year the gates are open and I’m venturing to South Padre Island about every second day. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:06 9:31 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X1272-SPI_ConvCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
|
Description: I’m finding male Orchard Orioles difficult to capture in an unobstructed view. I was marginally more successful this day. Last year the global pandemic prevented me from experiencing the full effects of spring migration in south Texas. This year the gates are open and I’m venturing to South Padre Island about every second day. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:06 9:32 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X1283-SPI_ConvCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
|
Description: I’m finding male Orchard Orioles difficult to capture in an unobstructed view. I was marginally more successful this day. Last year the global pandemic prevented me from experiencing the full effects of spring migration in south Texas. This year the gates are open and I’m venturing to South Padre Island about every second day. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:06 11:58 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X1963-SPI_ConvCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: All the Orioles here seemed drawn to the Bottlebrush trees. My plan for an early start to my day chasing birds on South Padre Island backfired when a fog so heavy greeted me that my lens got coated with dew, rendering the already dark shadows where my subjects foraged were hopeless. During my last hour there, the lighting improved. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:13 11:26 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X5227-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
|
Description: All the Orioles here seemed drawn to the Bottlebrush trees. My plan for an early start to my day chasing birds on South Padre Island backfired when a fog so heavy greeted me that my lens got coated with dew, rendering the already dark shadows where my subjects foraged were hopeless. During my last hour there, the lighting improved. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:13 11:26 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X5219-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: Female Orchard and Hooded Orioles are difficult to differentiate from each other. All the Orioles here seemed drawn to the Bottlebrush trees. My plan for an early start to my day chasing birds on South Padre Island backfired when a fog so heavy greeted me that my lens got coated with dew, rendering the already dark shadows where my subjects foraged were hopeless. During my last hour there, the lighting improved. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:13 10:13 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/180 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X4868-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: This first year male bird was looking for a meal on the marsh. Bird activity on Tuesday’s visit to South Padre Island was slightly less hectic than it was on the weekend, but it gave me some great bird encounters, including two birds brand new to me. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:20 18:53 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X0606SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Orchard Oriole(Icterus spurius) |
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Description: Some Orchard Orioles were here already, but were joined this day by many more. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 16:50 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/180 |
File Name: OrchardOriole_D5X7732-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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