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Field
Guide IDs: BREEDING:
Open and riparian
woodland, decid forest edge, open areas with
scattered trees, around human habitation. 1
brood. DISPLAYS:
Courting male rises
to full height, bows low to female with tail spread
and wings slightly raised; alternates between these
two postures. NEST:
Rarely in conif
tree, attached at rim or secured at sides to
drooping branch; woven of plant fiber strips, lined
with fine grass, plant down, hair. Built in 4.5-15
days. EGGS:
Pale grayish- to
bluish-white, marked with dark colors. 0.9" (23
mm). DIET:
Includes few
spiders, snails; some buds in spring. CONSERVATION:
Winters from c
Mexico s to n e S.A., Greater Antilles;
increasingly remains in e U.S. and CA due to
feeders. Uncommon cowbird host; may elect cowbird
eggs. NOTES:
Formerly called
Northern Oriole, now considered as two species,
Baltimore and Bullock's Orioles. Loosely colonial
in riparian woodland as a consequence of nest site
scarcity. Female (Bullock's) sings early in nesting
season. Males sexually mature at 1 year but acquire
adult plumage in year 2. Postbreeding flocks of
juveniles and females; adult males solitary.
Solitary to slightly gregarious in winter in groups
of up to 4. Uncommon migrant
and summer resident virtually throughout campus,
more widespread than the Hooded Oriole. Often seen
in oaks and eucalyptus in the Arboretum and in
woodlands near the Dish. ESSAYS: Great
Plains Hybrids;
Decline
of Eastern
Songbirds;
Feeding
Birds;
Taxonomy
and Nomenclature REFERENCES:
Flood, 1984;
Pleasants, 1979; Sealy, 1980. |
