Class Aves
Order Songbirds
Family Blackbirds and Orioles
Genus Icterus

Credit: J. N. Stuart

North American field guide

Scott's Oriole

Icterus parisorum

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

23 cm (9") Common. Southwestern United States. Dry woodlands, scrub, yuccas, pinyons and juniper.

Male: black and yellow bird. Black head, throat, upper breast and back. Yellow belly and lower back. Black and yellow tail.

Female: yellowish-olive and streaked upperparts. Variable amount of black on throat and upper breast. Lemon yellow lower breast and belly.

Immature Male: yellowish-olive and streaked upperparts. Uniformly lemon yellow below.

Song: suggests a Western Meadowlark.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Adult male - Tres Pistolas Canyon, Bernalillo County, New Mexico - May 15, 2011.

Credit: Ken Schneider

Female - feeding on Ocotillo nectar (Fouquieria splendens), Lost Palms Oasis Trail, Joshua Tree NP, Riverside Co., CA - May 2009

Credit: Ken Schneider

Credit: Amy McAndrews

Female or immature male. Bosque del Apache NWR, NM. 16 May 2008

Credit: J. N. Stuart

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Scott's Oriole Babies - Eggs to Fledge.mp4

Credit: Robert Carpenter

Rare Wayward Bird Spotted in Catawba County

Credit: birdwatchnc

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

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.

Scott's Oriole (Male)

5 rules

Rule 1 17 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-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 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 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1004-scotts-oriole-male:1:1 Source: 1004 Scott's Oriole (Male), row 1

Rule 2 17 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-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 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 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1004-scotts-oriole-male:2:1 Source: 1004 Scott's Oriole (Male), row 2

Rule 3 17 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-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 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 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1004-scotts-oriole-male:3:1 Source: 1004 Scott's Oriole (Male), row 3

Rule 4 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 ?: Southwestern United States

result:1004-scotts-oriole-male:4:1 Source: 1004 Scott's 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:1004-scotts-oriole-male:5:1 Source: 1004 Scott's Oriole (Male), row 5

Scott's Oriole (Female)

5 rules

Rule 1 17 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 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 were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · 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
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:1005-scotts-oriole-female:1:1 Source: 1005 Scott's Oriole (Female), row 1

Rule 2 17 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 PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 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 were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · 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
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:1005-scotts-oriole-female:2:1 Source: 1005 Scott's Oriole (Female), row 2

Rule 3 17 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 PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 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 were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · 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
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1005-scotts-oriole-female:3:1 Source: 1005 Scott's Oriole (Female), row 3

Rule 4 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 ?: Southwestern United States

result:1005-scotts-oriole-female:4:1 Source: 1005 Scott's 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:1005-scotts-oriole-female:5:1 Source: 1005 Scott's Oriole (Female), row 5

Scott's Oriole (Immature)

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 4

What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: 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 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 were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1006-scotts-oriole-immature:1:1 Source: 1006 Scott's Oriole (Immature), row 1

Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 1

What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: 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 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 were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1006-scotts-oriole-immature:2:1 Source: 1006 Scott's Oriole (Immature), row 2