Baltimore Oriole

A couple weeks ago at the Plainsboro Preserve I was told that orioles were out and about. I didn't see many of them but did get a picture of one male Baltimore Oriole vocalizing (as they are wont to do) near the top of a tree.

At a glance you might see an orange breast/belly with a dark head/back/wings and think you're seeing the far more common American Robin. But with a clear look you'll see that their orange is a bit brighter/lighter, that they have no white eye ring, and they have a bit of white on their wings. (Robins also outweigh Baltimore Orioles 2-1, though as I've mentioned before it's not always easy to judge the size of a bird at distance.)

Similar to the Northern Flicker and the Eastern Towhee, there is some debate on where to draw the line between species. The Baltimore Oriole is clearly related to the Bullock's Oriole, and there was a time they were considered the same species, called a Northern Oriole. Genetic analysis convinced ornithologists to separate them into different species in the 90s. It appears that (at least for now) they're satisfied with this taxonomical relationship.

May 17, 2022 at the Plainsboro Preserve
Photo 199522153, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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