Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus
STANFORD LOCATIONS: Uncommon and local migrant and summer resident, nesting almost exclusively in fan palms. Often observed near such palms inside the Main Quad and in the faculty housing area (e.g., Frenchman's Road).

Nest Location	Nest Type	Eggs Mating System	Dev. Parental Care	Primary & 2ndary Diet	Foraging Strategy
			F I: 12-14 DAYS ALTRICIAL
PALM YUCCA 12 feet - 45 feet	MF?	3-4 (3-5) MONOG?	F: 14 DAYS MF	FRUIT NECTAR	HAWKS

---

BREEDING:	Riparian woodland, palm groves, mesquite, arid scrub, decid woodland, around human habitation. 2, occ 3 broods.
DISPLAYS:	Courtship: on elevated perch, male performs series of exaggerated bows toward female as he approaches, then hops around her singing softly and posturing with head pointed skyward, bill open; female may respond with similar posture.
NEST:	Suspended from twigs, or woven through overhanging leaves of palm or palmetto; woven of wiry green grass blades or shredded palm or yucca fibers, unlined or lined with plant down. Built in 3-4 days. If suspended from palm, nest opening on side.
EGGS:	Dull white, marked with browns, purples, grays. 0.9" (22 mm).
DIET:	Insects; nectar, fruit.
CONSERVATION:	Winters from n Mexico s to Oaxaca. Frequent Bronzed Cowbird host. Range expanding northward in CA, likely due to extensive plantings of palms and flower-bearing ornamentals.
NOTES:	Generally an "illegitimate" visitor to flowers -- obtains nectar by piercing base of flower without pollinating. Young fed by regurgitation for 4-5 days.
ESSAYS:	Masterbuilders; Bird Badges; Taxonomy and Nomenclature; Cowbirds; Range Expansion.
REFERENCES:	Orians, 1985.

Help	Abbreviations	Species-Alphabetical	Species-Taxonomic	Essays-Alphabetical	Essays-Categorized
Except for Stanford Locations, the material in this species treatment is taken, with permission, from The Birder's Handbook (Paul Ehrlich, David Dobkin, & Darryl Wheye, Simon & Schuster, NY. 1988).