Altamira Oriole

Icterus gularis

Also known as:Lichtenstein's Oriole

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

25 cm (10") Common but local - restricted to southern Texas (Brownsville area). Tall trees, willows, mesquite.

Male: orange head, lower back, belly and shoulder patch. Black throat, upper back, tail and wings. Similar male Hooded Oriole is smaller and lacks the orange shoulder patch.

Female: Yellowish underparts. Gray-brown wings. Larger than female Hooded and Orchard Orioles. Was called Lichtenstein's Oriole.

Immature Male: olive-green back. Yellowish breast and belly. Black throat. Larger than similar immature Hooded and Orchard Orioles.

Was called Lichtenstein's Oriole.

Song: varied and clear whistles; call is a raspy "ike ike ike".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

2 photos

Bentsen State Park near McAllen, Texas - March 12, 2011

Credit: Mark Watson

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Altamira Oriole

Credit: RGVNatureVideos

Bird Advisor Identification rules 3 variants 5 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Altamira Oriole (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1012-altamira-oriole-male:1:1 Source: 1012 Altamira Oriole (Male), row 1

Rule 2 7 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Only or mostly in flight over freshwater · Only or mostly in flight over land
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1012-altamira-oriole-male:2:1 Source: 1012 Altamira Oriole (Male), row 2

Altamira Oriole (Female)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1013-altamira-oriole-female:1:1 Source: 1013 Altamira Oriole (Female), row 1

Rule 2 7 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Only or mostly in flight over freshwater · Only or mostly in flight over land
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1013-altamira-oriole-female:2:1 Source: 1013 Altamira Oriole (Female), row 2

Altamira Oriole (Immature Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1014-altamira-oriole-immature-male:1:1 Source: 1014 Altamira Oriole (Immature Male), row 1