Class Aves
Order Songbirds
Family Blackbirds and Orioles
Genus Icterus

Credit: Dfaulder

North American field guide

Hooded Oriole

Icterus cucullatus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

20 cm (8") Common. Southwestern United States. Tall trees especially palms, cottonwoods, residential areas.

Long and downcurved bill.

Male: orange or orange-yellow crown, lower back and belly. Black throat, upper back, breast and tail. Similar male Altamira Oriole is restricted to southern Texas, is larger and has an orange shoulder patch.

Female: olive-green upperparts. Pale yellow underparts. Similar female Bullock's race of Baltimore Oriole has a whitish belly and female Orchard Oriole has a shorter and less downcurved bill.

Immature Male: olive-green upperparts. Pale yellow belly. Black throat and upper breast.

Song: soft warbling with harsh trills; ascending "sweep" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Male - Morro Bay, California, US - July 21, 2012

Credit: Dawn Beattie

Female - Morro Bay, California, US - July 23, 2012

Credit: Dawn Beattie

Credit: Linda Tanner

Credit: Linda Tanner

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Hooded Oriole (male) Visits Bottlebrush Tree V05181

Credit: TheNatureStation

Hooded Oriole foraging and feeding young 720p HD

Credit: TheNatureStation

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 3 variants 12 rules

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

Hooded Oriole (Male)

5 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · 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 · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1001-hooded-oriole-male:1:1 Source: 1001 Hooded Oriole (Male), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · 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 · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1001-hooded-oriole-male:2:1 Source: 1001 Hooded Oriole (Male), row 2

Rule 3 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · 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 · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Fall · Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1001-hooded-oriole-male:3:1 Source: 1001 Hooded Oriole (Male), row 3

Rule 4 7 criteria confidence 5

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 ?: Sparrow-sized · 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:1001-hooded-oriole-male:4:1 Source: 1001 Hooded Oriole (Male), row 4

Rule 5 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 ?: Sparrow-sized · 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 ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1001-hooded-oriole-male:5:1 Source: 1001 Hooded Oriole (Male), row 5

Hooded Oriole (Female)

5 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · 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 · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · 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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1002-hooded-oriole-female:1:1 Source: 1002 Hooded Oriole (Female), row 1

Rule 2 14 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · 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 · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · 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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1002-hooded-oriole-female:2:1 Source: 1002 Hooded Oriole (Female), row 2

Rule 3 14 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · 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 · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · 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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Fall · Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1002-hooded-oriole-female:3:1 Source: 1002 Hooded Oriole (Female), row 3

Rule 4 7 criteria confidence 5

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 ?: Sparrow-sized · 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:1002-hooded-oriole-female:4:1 Source: 1002 Hooded Oriole (Female), row 4

Rule 5 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 ?: Sparrow-sized · 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 ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1002-hooded-oriole-female:5:1 Source: 1002 Hooded Oriole (Female), row 5

Hooded Oriole (Immature Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 5

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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · 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:1003-hooded-oriole-immature-male:1:1 Source: 1003 Hooded Oriole (Immature Male), row 1

Rule 2 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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · 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 ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1003-hooded-oriole-immature-male:2:1 Source: 1003 Hooded Oriole (Immature Male), row 2