Yellow oriole

The yellow oriole (Icterus nigrogularis) is a passerine bird in the family Icteridae. It should not be confused with the green oriole, sometimes alternatively called the Australasian yellow oriole (Oriolus flavocinctus), which is an Old World oriole.

For the bird alternatively named yellow oriole in Australia, see Green oriole.

Yellow oriole
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Icteridae
Genus: Icterus
Species:
I. nigrogularis
Binomial name
Icterus nigrogularis
(Hahn, 1819)

Distribution and habitat

The yellow oriole is also called the plantain and small corn bird, and in Venezuela it is known as gonzalito. It breeds in northern South America in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, the Guianas, and parts of northern Brazil, (northern Roraima state, and eastern Amapá). The yellow oriole is a bird of open woodland, scrub, and gardens.

Breeding

Its nest is a 40-centimetre (16 in)-long hanging basket, suspended from the end of a branch. The normal clutch is three pale green or grey eggs.

Description

This bird is 20–21 cm (7.9–8.3 in) long, and weighs 38 g (1.3 oz), with mainly yellow plumage, as its name suggests. The adult male has a black eye mask, thin black throat line, black tail, and black wings, with a white wing bar and some white feather edging.

The female is similar, but slightly duller, and the juvenile bird has an olive-tinged yellow back, and lacks black on the face.

Taxonomy

Of the four subspecies of yellow oriole, three are restricted to islands. They differ from the widespread nominate race of the mainland in body and bill size, and minor plumage details.

Diet

The species eats mainly large insects, but also consumes nectar and some fruit (such as berries, cherries, mangoes and bananas).[2]

Call

The song of the yellow oriole is a pleasant, melodious fluting, with some buzzing. The calls include a cat-like whine and chattering noises.

References
  1. BirdLife International (2018). "Icterus nigrogularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22724087A132026033. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22724087A132026033.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "Icterus nigrogularis (Yellow Oriole or Small Cornbird)" (PDF). Sta.uwi.edu. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  • New World Blackbirds by Jaramillo and Burke, ISBN 0-7136-4333-1
  • Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
  • ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd ed.). Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.



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