Orioles are some of the brightest and most tropical-looking birds in North America. With their bright orange to yellow feathers and striking black facial features, they are hard to mistake. It’s no wonder that their beauty and sweet, melodious songs make them a favorite among birders.
In this guide, you’ll meet the ten orioles that breed throughout North America, starting with the most common and ending with the less familiar. Before we dive into the characteristics of each bird, let’s discuss what unites them under the common name “oriole.”
What is an Oriole?
Unlike many other bird groups that share a common name, orioles are all closely related and belong to the genus Icterus. This genus belongs to the family Icteridae, or oriole family, which also includes blackbirds, grackles, and meadowlarks.
Because they are closely related, this bird family share similar physical, behavioral, and ecological traits. Physically, they have:
- bright orange or yellow plumage,
- black facial markings,
- sharp, thin bills, and
- a slender build.
Most migrate to the United States and southern Canada to breed, and they all prefer open woodland habitats. In tall trees, they weave intricate, basket nests that hang suspended from high branches. From the canopy, their beautiful, flute-like mating songs drift through the summer forests.
These birds are also omnivores that prefer insects, fruit, and nectar. To attract them to your backyard, set out fresh orange slices or a cut banana.
The 10 Species of Oriole in North America
1. Baltimore Oriole
Range: The stunning Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) breeds throughout much of central and eastern North America and into southern Canada. They are found in Alberta and the prairie states, south to northern Texas and Louisiana. From there, their range extends across the Midwest to the East Coast; however, they avoid the far south.
Habitat: They prefer open woodlands and riverside groves. They especially prefer elm trees in mixed or deciduous woods.
Description: The male has a black head and bright orange underside. The wings are black with white streaks and orange shoulder patches. The female has a tan to ruddy-orange head, a similarly bright orange underside, and black wings. She can be mistaken for a female Orchard Oriole, but the latter is yellow underneath rather than orange.
2. Bullock’s Oriole
Range: The Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii) is the western counterpart to the eastern Baltimore Oriole. Their breeding range extends from the western plains states south to Texas and west to the West Coast.
Habitat: Look for this yellow bird in open, deciduous woods. They favor cottonwood stands near rivers and creeks and have also adapted to suburban neighborhoods with older deciduous trees.
Description: The male has an orange face with a black eyestreak, a black throat patch, and a black cap that doesn’t extend to his beak. His underside is yellowish-orange, and he has black wings with white patches. The female is less distinct, with paler yellow on the throat and breast, and a grey back and wings. She is much less orange than the female Baltimore Oriole.
3. Hooded Oriole
Range: A bird of the arid south, the Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) breeds in the Southwest and along the California coast. They migrate and winter throughout Mexico, with some populations residing year-round along Mexico’s east coast and in southern Baja California.
Habitat: You can find them in palm stands, open woodlands, and forests along streams and canyons. They’re also common in city parks and suburban neighborhoods that offer good nesting habitat.
Description: The male Hooded Oriole is bright orange underneath and on its back. He has a distinct black throat and chest patch that distinguishes him from other common male oriole species. The female is yellowish-orange underneath with green-grey wings.
4. Orchard Oriole
Range: The Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) breeds throughout much of the central and eastern United States. They are common from the Dakotas south to eastern Texas and across the Southern States. Their range extends north to the Ohio Valley and over to the East Coast. They are less common in the Great Lakes and Northeast regions.
Habitat: Like other orioles, the species prefers open, mixed woodlands, forest edges, creeks and rivers, wooded neighborhoods, and city parks.
Description: The Orchard Oriole is unlike any other oriole. They are smaller, and the male has a russet red-orange chest and black hood. The female is bright yellow beneath with grey, white-streaked wings. She can be mistaken for a female Baltimore Oriole, but is much less orange.
5. Altamira Oriole
Range: The Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis) has a limited range in the United States, found only in the far southern tip of Texas. They are year-round residents there and along the eastern coast of Mexico.
Habitat: Within their limited Texan range, they inhabit woodlands near the Rio Grande River. In Mexico, they prefer tropical, open woodlands and forest edges.
Description: Both males and females are bright orange with a black eye and throat patch. They may be mistaken for Hooded Orioles, which have more black on their faces and are smaller than Altamira Orioles.
6. Audubon’s Oriole
Range: Like the Altamira Oriole, Audubon’s Oriole (Icterus graduacauda) is found only in the southern tip of Texas in the United States. Their year-round range extends from there down through parts of Mexico.
Habitat: In Texas, they are found in wooded areas near the Rio Grande River. Throughout their Mexican range, they prefer pine-oak forests in the foothills.
Description: Unlike many of the other orioles, this species is bright yellow all over rather than orange. Both males and females share the same features, including a black hood and black wings with white streaks, though females can be paler.
7. Scott’s Oriole
Range: This conspicuous oriole breeds in the southwestern United States, from California to southern Texas. Its breeding range extends into northern and central Mexico, where some populations reside year-round.
Habitat: Scott’s Orioles (Icterus parisorum) prefer arid mountainous ecosystems with yuccas, pinyon pines, and Joshua trees. You can also find them in lower elevations in canyons, juniper-oak forests, and palm stands. According to the Audubon Field Guide, they avoid true deserts.
Description: Like Audubon’s Oriole, the male Scott’s Oriole has a black hood and bright yellow underside. However, it has a black back and more yellow on its tail than Audubon’s Oriole (their differing ranges are also an identification clue). The female has a grey-yellow head, a black splotched throat, and a yellow underside.
8. Spot-breasted Oriole
Range: The Spot-breasted Oriole (Icterus pectoralis) was introduced to southeastern Florida in the 1940s, where a small population now resides year-round. Their native range includes the west coast of Mexico and parts of Central America.
Habitat: In Florida, this exotic bird inhabits tropical gardens in the suburbs between Miami and West Palm Beach. In Mexico and Central America, they prefer tropical dry wood forests, forest edges along rivers, brushy areas, and neighborhoods with large trees.
Description: The Spot-breasted Oriole is a stunning bird, with an orange head and a black chest and throat patch that extends up around its beak. It has a bright yellow-orange underside. True to its name, it bears black spots on its chest surrounding the throat patch.
9. Black-vented Oriole
Range: This oriole occasionally strays into southern Texas and Arizona but primarily resides throughout Mexico and Central America.
Habitat: In its native range, the Black-vented Oriole (Icterus wagleri) prefers semi-open forests and dry woods of the foothills and lower mountains.
Description: The Black-vented Oriole has a glossy black hood that extends down past its chest and across its back. It has a bright yellow belly, yellow shoulder patches, and a black vent. Its wings are entirely black, lacking white wing bars.
10. Streak-backed Oriole
Range: Another stray, this oriole sometimes wanders into southern California and Arizona. It is a native resident of northwestern Mexico and Central America.
Habitat: The Streak-backed Oriole (Icterus pustulatus) favors dry, tropical forests throughout its native range.
Description: The male has a bright orange head with black markings around the beak that extend into a short throat patch. His underside fades to yellow, and his back has black streaks. The female is duller yellow overall with similar black facial markings. Their wings are heavily streaked with white.
Final Thoughts
Spotting an oriole while out on a hike is always a delightful experience. With their expressive songs and stunning plumage, they are truly a wonder to observe in the wild.
I hope this guide gives you the confidence to search for your local oriole species. Scan the canopy for their unmistakable hanging nest, and you’ll be sure to see one.
Which orioles from this list have you spotted? Feel free to share your observations and oriole stories in the comments below!
