Bullock’s Oriole

Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) is a small new world blackbird. It favors habitat margins, just as other Icteridae species. They favor scrub forest, open deciduous woodland, and riparian corridors in particular. Breeding season observations reveal that this species favors places with a lot of cottonwoods, pecan, and (if near water) willow.

Strongly contrasted orange and black plumage, a black throat patch, and a white wing bar are characteristics of adult males. The back, wings, and tail are all black, while the underparts, breast, and face are all orange or yellow. From each eye to the black crown, a black line runs. White fringes form a wing patch on the coverts of the wings, which are feathers not directly employed for flying. The last three or four rectrices (flying feathers) of the tail, which are primarily black but have orange tips, make a T-shape. Adult females, on the other hand, have an olive head, duller yellow on the breast and underparts, and gray-brown upperparts. Some females may also have a dark throat patch, similar to (but less extensive than) the one found in adult males; in all cases, females lack the black eye line present in adult males. Females with throat patches are thought to be older individuals.