From Opus

male
Photo by Glen Tepke
Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatan, Mexico, January 2011

Icterus auratus

[edit] Identification

A relatively small oriole (19cm); overall orange and black with white wing accents in the male (including broad white tips of median coverts and a white panel at base of primaries), yellow and black with finer white markings in wing for the female. Diagnostic for the male is the uniformly orange back; other similar orioles have some black or streaking on the back.

[edit] Similar Species

The Hooded Oriole is the most alike bird in the range, but the male shows a prominent black back from just below the nape to the upper tail coverts. The Altamira Oriole also has a black back, and is considerable larger.

[edit] Distribution

Yucatan peninsula: northernmost Belize and Mexico.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species¹.

[edit] Habitat

Dry forests, disturbed areas and edges.

[edit] Behaviour

One to few birds together, but often occur in flock with other species.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist

[edit] External Links