From Opus

Photo by Romy Ocon
Location: The Philippines, March 2005

Oriolus chinensis

[edit] Identification

27cm. Male - bright golden-yellow plumage, black mask through eyes meeting at nape, black and yellow wings and tail, pink bill, grey feet, red iris.
Female - as in male but duller, greenish yellow mantle.
Juvenile - whitish underparts, blackish streaks on breast, grey bill, lacks nape band.

Photo by linesiam
Immature, photographed in Bangkok, Thailand, April 2009

[edit] Distribution

From India east over Indochina to the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and eastern China.

[edit] Taxonomy

Flight view by kelvinyam
Putrajaya Wetland, Malaysia, April 2009

Up to 20 subspecies are accepted.
The Slender-billed Oriole was considered to be conspecific but is now widely accepted as full species.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• O. c. invisus S Vietnam
• O. c. diffusus E Asia; > to India, Malaysia and Indochina
• O. c. andamanensis Andaman Islands
• O. c. macrourus Nicobar Islands
• O. c. chinensis Philippine Islands
• O. c. suluensis Sulu Archipelago
• O. c. melanisticus Talaud Islands (Karakelong and Salebabu)
• O. c. sanghirensis Sangihe and Tabuken islands (off n Sulawesi)
• O. c. formosus Siau, Tahulandang, Ruang, Biaro and Mayu is. (off Sulawesi)
• O. c celebensis Sulawesi, Bangka, Talisei, Lembeh, Togian Is., Muna, Butung
• O. c frontalis Banggai and Sula islands (off Sulawesi)
• O. c oscillans Tukangbesi Islands (off Sulawesi)
• O. c boneratensis Tanahjampea, Bonerate, Lalaotoa, Madu and Kayuadi islands
• O. c mundus Simeulue I. (off Sumatra)
• O. c sipora Sipura I. (off Sumatra)
• O. c richmondi Siberut and Pagi islands (off Sumatra)
• O. c insularis Kangean Islands (Java Sea)
• O. c broderipii Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumba, Sumbawa, Flores, Bisar, Alor)
• O. c maculatus Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Bali, Belitung and Nias islands

[edit] Habitat

Coastal woodlands and mangroves, cultivated areas, parks and gardens, to 1600m.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet includes fruit and berries, particularly figs, large insects, small animals, including nestlings.

[edit] Breeding

A cup-shaped nest is made from bark, small twigs, grass and roots. Two to three bluish-white eggs with brown spots are laid and are incubated for about 14 days.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

[edit] External Links