Orchard or Baltimore Oriole: Tallahassee, Florida, USA (1 Viewer)

Hallawhosit · Feb 17, 2020

Hi there! We’ve attracted a flock of 8 or so Baltimore Orioles this winter, but there is one that looks different from all the rest. She’s (?) more yellow than all the rest and the wing bars aren’t as prominent. I’ve tried looking at her beak but honestly can’t determine whether it’s more curved down than the others. Sometimes I think so but sometimes I don’t. I think I psyche myself out. She seems more timid. I haven’t seen her on the feeder, only in the bush where they stage. I’m inclined to believe she’s just a lighter color variation since all the rest are very obviously Baltimore Orioles. But I thought I would get a more experienced opinion. My “photography equipment” is just a cell phone and a pair of binoculars, so I apologize if these are too blurry to be helpful. If I’m able to get anything better, I’ll add it. These pictures were taken, February 17, 2020, around 12:45 PM. Thanks!

-Hallawhosit

Jefferson Shank · Feb 17, 2020

I would say it is a juvenile female Baltimore Oriole. See the link.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/45877701

KenM · Feb 17, 2020

Hallawhosit said:
Hi there! We’ve attracted a flock of 8 or so Baltimore Orioles this winter, but there is one that looks different from all the rest. She’s (?) more yellow than all the rest and the wing bars aren’t as prominent. I’ve tried looking at her beak but honestly can’t determine whether it’s more curved down than the others. Sometimes I think so but sometimes I don’t. I think I psyche myself out. She seems more timid. I haven’t seen her on the feeder, only in the bush where they stage. I’m inclined to believe she’s just a lighter color variation since all the rest are very obviously Baltimore Orioles. But I thought I would get a more experienced opinion. My “photography equipment” is just a cell phone and a pair of binoculars, so I apologize if these are too blurry to be helpful. If I’m able to get anything better, I’ll add it. These pictures were taken, February 17, 2020, around 12:45 PM. Thanks!

-Hallawhosit

High H, very respectable images from a pair of bins and a cellphone if I may say! Wondering why you “gendered” the bird as a she....did it look smaller? Which of course Orchard Orioles are c16% or thereabouts compared to Baltimore.

Cheers

Jefferson Shank · Feb 17, 2020

Jefferson Shank said:
I would say it is a juvenile female Baltimore Oriole.

Looking at it again I think it could be an Orchard Oriole.

Hallawhosit · Feb 18, 2020

Jefferson, thanks for the additional photos of Baltimore Orioles. It does look very similar to that juvenile female.

Ken, I say “she” because I’m a novice as a birder, and it doesn’t have the black and orange of an adult male.

I do realize that doesn’t mean much, and after looking at the variation in coloring here (https://www.natureinstruct.org/piranga/view.php/USA/5110842FA06DD11C), I feel like I’m guessing with most of our flock as to which are juvenile males and which are females—ha! But this one is the yellowest of them all, and she doesn’t have a white belly like some of the others that are lighter in color. The bird does appear a little smaller than most of the others to me, but that could be because I’ve only seen her at a distance.

I was able to get a picture of her relatively close to one of the others, so I’ve attached that. Also, I’ve attached two pictures of one of the other lighter-colored “females” in case that comparison is helpful.

Thanks again!

-Hallawhosit

KenM · Feb 18, 2020

You’re doing very well with your cellphone H :t: wish I could be as proficient.
Looking at your latest shots you can clearly see the pale off white divide between the yellow vent and the chest, thus I’d opt for Baltimore over Orchard.

Cheers

Kratter · Feb 18, 2020

The underparts look too uniformly yellow below for a Baltimore Oriole. And the bill looks short. I think it's good for Orchard Oriole. Your first photos in post 5 show the smaller size and bill than the Baltimores. The other two are female Baltimore Orioles, which often (but not always) have more orange-tinged colors.

Andy

Kratter · Feb 18, 2020

KenM said:
You’re doing very well with your cellphone H :t: wish I could be as proficient.
Looking at your latest shots you can clearly see the pale off white divide between the yellow vent and the chest, thus I’d opt for Baltimore over Orchard.

Cheers

But as the mentioned in post 5, the first photo in that post is the bird in question and it is not showing the whiter lower breast.

Andy

Hallawhosit · Feb 18, 2020

Ah, yeah, Kratter is correct. Those last two pictures in post 5 are of a different oriole I was pretty sure was a Baltimore. Sorry posting those led to confusion instead of being helpful.

-H

KenM · Feb 18, 2020

Hallawhosit said:
Ah, yeah, Kratter is correct. Those last two pictures in post 5 are of a different oriole I was pretty sure was a Baltimore. Sorry posting those led to confusion instead of being helpful.

-H

Apologies...I didn’t read the script properly, Orchard it is.:t:

Orchard or Baltimore Oriole: Tallahassee, Florida, USA (1 Viewer)

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