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  Profile

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  In flight

Tropical Birds

Bullock's Oriole

Icterus bullockii

• rare
• 55 km/h
• Least Concern

The Baltimore's western twin with orange cheeks and white wing patches. Hybridizes wherever the two meet.

Population

~7.4 million (global breeding population, Partners in Flight, via Cornell Lab); Continental Concern Score 11/20; declining ~0.6%/year, cumulative ~27% decline 1966-2019 (North American Breeding Bird Survey)

Habitat

Riparian corridors and open deciduous woodland/scrub, including urban parks with large well-spaced trees — favors cottonwood, sycamore, willow, oak, mesquite, salt cedar, eucalyptus, and pecan

Fun fact

Bullock's Oriole builds an elaborate hanging, gourd-shaped nest woven mainly from bark fiber and grass (often incorporating hair, twine, or wool where available), lined with down, hair, and moss.

Range

Breeds across western North America from the Cascade Range/southern British Columbia and western Great Plains (Dakotas, Kansas, north-central Texas) south to northern Mexico (Sonora/Durango); winters mainly in Mexico and Central America

Diet

Omnivorous — mainly insects, plus berries, fruit (e.g., oranges, grapes), and nectar; readily visits hummingbird feeders and grape-jelly feeders

Size

0.18 m

Wingspan

0.31 m

Lifespan

9 years