Bird Guide

Altamira Oriole vs Orchard Oriole

Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis)

Altamira Oriole

Icterus gularis

Small55 gWoodland

Both males and females have a black mandible and throat, as well as a black back and long black tail. Wings are black, but the remiges and rectrices (flight feathers) are fringed with white. These form a single white wing bar and white wing spots when folded. The secondary coverts form orange epaulets. The underside is almost uniformly orange or yellowish-orange. In general, immature specimens have an olive back, and a dull yellow on its head and its body. The first-year bird is similar to the adult, but it has an olive, not black, back, and yellow-olive tail. Voice: The song of the Altamira oriole is a series of clear, slow musical whistles. In contrast, the Altamira's calls are harsh whistles, rasping chatter, and nasal "ike"s.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Dennis Vollmar · CC BY 4.0
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)

Orchard Oriole

Icterus spurius

Small19 gForest

Measurements: Length: 5.9–7.1 in (15–18 cm) Weight: 0.6–1.0 oz (16–28 g) Wingspan: 9.8 in (25 cm) The bill is pointed and black with some blue-gray at the base of the lower mandible. The adult male of the nominate subspecies has chestnut on the underparts, shoulder, and rump, with the rest of the plumage black. In the subspecies I. s. fuertesi, the chestnut is replaced with ochre. The adult female and the juvenile of both subspecies have olive-green on the upper parts and yellowish on the breast and belly. All adults have pointed bills and white wing bars.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Ryan Douglas · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: datadan · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Altamira Oriole and Orchard Oriole.