If a burst of bright orange flashes through the high leaves and a clear whistle follows, you may have found a Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula). The males glow so brightly they look like a piece of the sunset caught in the branches.
What it looks like
Adults are about 18cm long with a slender build and a sharp, pointed beak. Males have a jet black head and back with a flaming orange chest, belly, and rump, plus a white wing bar. Females and young birds are softer, showing yellow-orange underparts with grayish wings. Both move through the treetops with quick, confident hops.
When and where
- Season: Late spring through summer, then they head south for winter.
- Habitat: Tall shade trees along parks, riversides, and leafy neighborhoods.
- Best time: Morning, when males sing from the highest branches.
A basket that hangs from a twig
The female oriole weaves one of the most remarkable nests around. Using plant fibers, grass, and even string, she stitches a deep pouch that hangs like a sock from the tip of a drooping branch. It can take her a week of steady weaving, and the finished basket sways safely out of reach of most climbing predators. You often spot the nest in fall once the leaves drop, long after the birds have gone.
Spot one this weekend
Baltimore Orioles are Uncommon and stay high, so your ears help more than your eyes. Listen for a rich, flute-like whistle in tall trees, then scan the upper branches for a moving spark of orange. A halved orange set out on a ledge can even coax one down.