Jamaican Oriole

Jamaican Oriole

(Icterus leucopteryx)

Photographed at

Rockland’s Bird Sanctuary, Montego Bay, Jamaica    Aug 2013

Jamaican Orioles species is common and widespread in Jamaica, where it is found in all types of forests, as well as in gardens. The birds sometimes roost communally. It is a long-tailed greenish-yellow bird, with black wings, relieved by extensive white in the coverts, and a paler black mask bib. The tail is also black, with white edges. Like most bird species in Jamaica, this oriole breeds in the austral spring, between March and June

It is found in Jamaica and on the Colombian island of San Andres. It formerly occurred on Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands but is now extinct there. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montage forests, and heavily degraded former forest.

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Hooded Oriole

Hooded Oriole

 Icterus cucullatus

Photographed in the wild Tucson, Arizona  Apr 2010

Hooded Orioles belong to the same family as Blackbirds.  Named for the orange hood on the male, this slender oriole is at home in suburban areas of the southwestern United States, from central California, Nevada through central Arizona. They can be seen hanging upside down whilst searching for food or perched near the ground. They have strong direct flight.

It originally nested in the trees of desert oases, but finds ornamental trees suitable. They feed on insects, fruit, and nectar. The nectar is taken from plants, such as aloes, hibiscus, lilies, and other tubular flowers, by piercing the base of the flower's stem, which has the effect of avoiding plant pollination.

Hooded Orioles are social birds and can be seen flocking with other related birds. A group of orioles is referred to as a "pitch" or a "split".

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Balimore Oriole

Baltimore  Oriole

 Icterus galbula

Photographed in the wild Etobicoke ON Canada      May 2018

Baltimore Orioles also belong to the same family as Blackbirds.  The orioles of the Americas were named after similar-looking birds in the Old World, but the two groups are not closely related. Orioles of the Old World are in the family Oriolidae, whereas American orioles are in the same family as blackbirds and meadowlarks. Both New and Old World orioles are brightly colored with yellow, and black; have long tails and long pointed bills; build hanging, woven nests; and prefer tall trees around open areas.

Unlike robins and many other fruit-eating birds, Baltimore Orioles seem to prefer only ripe, dark-colored fruit. Orioles seek out the darkest mulberries, the reddest cherries, and the deepest-purple grapes, and will ignore green grapes and yellow cherries even if they are ripe. Hang slice oranges from a tree and they will come to feed

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Orioles

 Baltimore                         Hooded                            Jamaican

There are at least 9 oriole species in North America; the Baltimore Oriole and the Orchard Oriole in the eastern regions and the Bullock's Oriole and the Scott's Oriole in the western regions. 

The Spot-breasted Oriole is only found in central Florida. 

There are 4 types of orioles found in the southern states and Mexico, namely the Altamira Oriole, Audubon's Oriole, Hooded Oriole and the Streak-backed Oriole.

The Jamaican Oriole  is found only on the island of Jamaica.

All these birds are from the Blackbird Family