New World oriole
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27 species, see text |
The genus Icterus, New World orioles, is a group of birds in the Icteridae family. They are not related to the Old World orioles which are in the family Oriolidae, but are superficially strikingly similar in size, diet, behaviour and their yellow-and-black plumage, a good example of convergent evolution, and almost inevitably took the same vernacular name.
The males are typically black and yellow or orange, with white markings; the plumage of females and immature birds is duller. These birds go through one moult in a year. They are generally slender with long tails and a pointed bill. They mainly eat insects, often also nectar and fruit. The nest is a woven pouch. Several species are easy to attract to birdtables by the provision of cut oranges, a favoured food. The species nesting in areas with cold winters (including most of the United States) are strongly migratory, while subtropical and tropical species are more sedentary.
The name "oriole" was first recorded (in the Latin form oriolus) by Albertus Magnus in about 1250, and was stated by him to be onomatopoeic, from the song of the European Golden Oriole.
The genus name Icterus is from the Greek word for yellow and is also associated with jaundice.
The following is a full species list:
- Moriche Oriole, Icterus chrysocephalus
- Epaulet Oriole, Icterus cayanensis
- Yellow-backed Oriole, Icterus chrysater
- Yellow Oriole, Icterus nigrogularis
- Jamaican Oriole, Icterus leucopteryx
- Orange Oriole, Icterus auratus
- Yellow-tailed Oriole, Icterus mesomelas
- Orange-crowned Oriole, Icterus auricapillus
- White-edged Oriole, Icterus graceannae
- Spot-breasted Oriole, Icterus pectoralis
- Altamira Oriole, Icterus gularis
- Streak-backed Oriole, Icterus pustulatus
- Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus
- Troupial, Icterus icterus
- Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula
- Bullock's Oriole, Icterus bullockii
- Black-backed Oriole, Icterus abeillei
- Orchard Oriole, Icterus spurius
- Black-cowled Oriole, Icterus prosthemelas
- Greater Antillean Oriole, Icterus dominicensis
- Black-vented Oriole, Icterus wagleri
- St. Lucia Oriole, Icterus laudabilis
- Martinique Oriole, Icterus bonana
- Montserrat Oriole, Icterus oberi
- Audubon's Oriole, Icterus graduacauda
- Bar-winged Oriole, Icterus maculialatus
- Scott's Oriole, Icterus parisorum