General

Altamira Oriole: Largest North American oriole, with brilliant yellow-orange body and black back, mask, bib, and tail. Wings are black with white bar and feather edges. Female is duller, with dark brown wings and olive-yellow back. Juvenile is duller and appears more yellow, with dark brown wings and olive-yellow back; lacks black mask during first summer.

Range and Habitat

Altamira Oriole: Native of Mexico; has small range in the southern tip of Texas. Preferred habitats include riparian woodlands, open woodlands, arid scrub, and mesquite in the lower Rio Grande Valley of southeastern Texas.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"chee-choo", "yehuk"

Interesting Facts

 Altamira orioles are seasonally monogamous and may be for life. They are almost always seen in pairs.

 They seem to prefer the northwest quadrants of trees, as 9 out of 10 nests observed have been built in that part of a tree's canopy.

 Their singing is described as being "a loud, musical, but hesitant series of whistles, reminiscent of an inexperienced human whistler."

 A group of orioles are collectively known as a "pitch" and a "split" of orioles.

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Related Birds