Scott's Oriole

Overview

Scott's Oriole: Medium-sized oriole with black hood extending onto breast and back. Belly and rump are bright yellow. The wings are black with yellow shoulder patches and two white bars. Tail is yellow with thick black tip and central line. Strong direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Scott's Oriole: Breeds in southern California, southern Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas. Spends winters mainly south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Found in desert grassland prairies and mountain canyons, particularly if yucca or palms are present; nests in pinyon-juniper woodlands, sycamores, and cottonwoods.

INTERESTING FACTS

It is one of the first birds to start singing each day, starting before sunrise. It can be heard at all times of the day and throughout most of the summer.
The Scott's Oriole is closely associated with yuccas in much of its range. It forages for insects on the plant, eats nectar fromthe flowers, weaves its nest from fibers taken from dead leaves, and hangs the nest from live leaves.
This bird was named by Darius N. Couch in honour of General Winfield Scott. Although it was later discovered that it had previously been described by Bonaparte, the common name was retained.
A group of orioles are collectively known as a "pitch" and a "split" of orioles.

The Scott's Oriole has a large range, estimated globally at 2,200,000 square kilometers. Native to the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this bird prefers subtropical or tropical shrubland or hot desert ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 1,600,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of Scott's Oriole is Least Concern.