Streak-backed Oriole

Icterus pustulatus

Also known as:Scarlet-headed Oriole

Explore this bird

Identification

21 cm (8") Casual stray to southeastern Arizona and southern California from Mexico.

Male: similar to male Hooded Oriole but it has a streaked back with a straight bill and is more reddish than orange.

Female or Immature Male: streaked olive-green back. Yellow or yellow-orange tinged underparts. Black throat.

Immature Female: streaked olive-green back. Yellowish orange throat, breast and belly. Lack black throat of female and immature male.

Was called Scarlet-headed Oriole.

Details in the field

5 photos

Credit: Len Blumin

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.

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 · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · 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 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 · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · 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:998-streak-backed-oriole-male:1:1 Source: 998 Streak-Backed 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 ?: 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:998-streak-backed-oriole-male:2:1 Source: 998 Streak-Backed Oriole (Male), row 2

2 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Female · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · 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 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 ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · 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)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:999-streak-backed-oriole-female-or-immature-male:1:1 Source: 999 Streak-Backed Oriole (Female or Immature Male), row 1

Rule 2 7 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · 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:999-streak-backed-oriole-female-or-immature-male:2:1 Source: 999 Streak-Backed Oriole (Female or Immature Male), row 2

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: 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 ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · 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)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:1000-streak-backed-oriole-immature-female:1:1 Source: 1000 Streak-Backed Oriole (Immature Female), row 1