Class Aves
Order Songbirds
Family Blackbirds and Orioles
Genus Icterus

Credit: Larry Bond

North American field guide

Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula

Also known as:Northern Oriole

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

22 cm (9") Common. Eastern Canada, United States. Deciduous woodlands, shade trees, parks and suburban areas. Builds distinctive deep pendant nests.

Male: all black head and throat, bright orange underparts, black wings with wing stripes. Similar Bullock's Oriole has orange on face and has a larger white wing-patch.

Female: brownish-olive above with black on face with dull yellow-orange underparts. Similar Bullock's Oriole female is gray-olive above with head and breast yellowish and belly white.

At one time, this species and the Bullock's Oriole were considered to be a single species, the Northern Oriole.

Song: varied flute-like notes in short phrases - "hew-li" notes; call is a rapid chatter and "hew-li".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Kelly Colgan Azar

Credit: Rick Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Baltimore Oriole

Credit: Jorge Eduardo Chinchilla

Baltimore Oriole

Credit: Jorge Eduardo Chinchilla

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 2 variants 16 rules

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

Northern Oriole (Male)

8 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · 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 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 were the CHEEKS ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1017-northern-oriole-male:1:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · 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 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 were the CHEEKS ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1017-northern-oriole-male:2:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 2

Rule 3 15 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · 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 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 were the CHEEKS ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1017-northern-oriole-male:3:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 3

Rule 4 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · 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 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 were the CHEEKS ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:1017-northern-oriole-male:4:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 4

Rule 5 7 criteria confidence 4

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 ?: Northeastern Canada or United States

result:1017-northern-oriole-male:5:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 5

Rule 6 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 ?: Southeastern United States

result:1017-northern-oriole-male:6:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 6

Rule 7 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:1017-northern-oriole-male:7:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 7

Rule 8 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 ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1017-northern-oriole-male:8:1 Source: 1017 Northern Oriole (Male), row 8

Northern Oriole (Female)

8 rules

Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Poking or probing pine cones · Feeding at flowers · Foraging by hanging upside down · Foraging rapidly · Foraging slowly and deliberately · Chasing and harassing other birds in flight
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1018-northern-oriole-female:1:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 1

Rule 2 12 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Poking or probing pine cones · Feeding at flowers · Foraging by hanging upside down · Foraging rapidly · Foraging slowly and deliberately · Chasing and harassing other birds in flight
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1018-northern-oriole-female:2:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 2

Rule 3 12 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Poking or probing pine cones · Feeding at flowers · Foraging by hanging upside down · Foraging rapidly · Foraging slowly and deliberately · Chasing and harassing other birds in flight
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1018-northern-oriole-female:3:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 3

Rule 4 12 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Poking or probing pine cones · Feeding at flowers · Foraging by hanging upside down · Foraging rapidly · Foraging slowly and deliberately · Chasing and harassing other birds in flight
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:1018-northern-oriole-female:4:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 4

Rule 5 7 criteria confidence 4

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 ?: Northeastern Canada or United States

result:1018-northern-oriole-female:5:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 5

Rule 6 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 ?: Southeastern United States

result:1018-northern-oriole-female:6:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 6

Rule 7 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:1018-northern-oriole-female:7:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 7

Rule 8 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 ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1018-northern-oriole-female:8:1 Source: 1018 Northern Oriole (Female), row 8