Yellow oriole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow oriole |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
 |
The yellow oriole (Icterus nigrogularis) is a bright and colorful passerine bird. This means it's a type of songbird, part of a large group of birds that can perch. It belongs to the Icteridae family, which includes other orioles, blackbirds, and meadowlarks.
Don't mix up the yellow oriole with the green oriole! The green oriole is sometimes called the Australasian yellow oriole. It lives in a different part of the world and is from a different bird family.
Contents
About the Yellow Oriole
The yellow oriole is a beautiful bird known for its bright feathers. It's sometimes called the plantain bird or small corn bird. In Venezuela, people call it gonzalito.
Where Yellow Orioles Live
These birds live in northern South America. You can find them in countries like Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad. They also live in the Guianas and parts of northern Brazil.
Yellow orioles like to live in open areas. They enjoy places with trees, bushes, and even gardens.
What Yellow Orioles Look Like
The yellow oriole is about 20 to 21 centimeters (around 8 inches) long. It weighs about 38 grams, which is about as much as a few strawberries!
Most of its feathers are bright yellow, just like its name says. Adult male orioles have a black mask around their eyes. They also have a thin black line on their throat, a black tail, and black wings. Their wings have a cool white bar and some white edges on the feathers.
Female yellow orioles look a lot like the males. However, their colors are usually a little bit lighter. Young orioles have a yellow back with a hint of olive green. They don't have the black markings on their face yet.
Yellow Oriole Reproduction
Yellow orioles build amazing nests! Their nest is like a long, hanging basket. It can be about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) long. They hang these nests from the very end of a tree branch. This helps keep their eggs safe.
A female yellow oriole usually lays three eggs. These eggs are often a pale green or grey color.
What Yellow Orioles Eat
Yellow orioles mostly eat large insects. They are good at finding bugs to munch on. But they also enjoy other foods! They drink nectar from flowers and eat different kinds of fruit. Some of their favorite fruits include berries, cherries, mangoes, and bananas.
Yellow Oriole Calls and Songs
The song of the yellow oriole is very pleasant. It sounds like a sweet, flowing tune with some buzzing noises mixed in. They also make other sounds, like a noise that sounds a bit like a cat's whine. They can also make chattering sounds.
Images for kids
-
A yellow oriole perched on a branch.
-
Map showing the distribution of the yellow oriole.
