Black-vented Oriole

Overview

Black-vented Oriole: Large oriole with black hood, upper back, wings, and tail, including vent. Underparts and lower back are bright yellow-orange. Black bill is long and slender. Legs and feet are gray. Forages in trees and bushes. Feeds on insects, berries and fruit. Strong, swift, direct flight.

Range and Habitat

Black-vented Oriole: Common in Mexico; accidental visitor to Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Preferred habitats include pine-oak and tropical deciduous forests.

INTERESTING FACTS

The "orioles" of the Americas were named after similarly-appearing birds in the Old World.
The American orioles are not closely related to the true orioles in the family Oriolidae. They are more closely related to blackbirds and meadowlarks.
The Black-vented Oriole was first described in 1857 by Philip Lutley Sclater, an English lawyer and zoologist.
A group of orioles are collectively known as a "pitch" and a "split" of orioles.

The Black-vented Oriole is a small bird native to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and the United States. Rare occurrences of the Black-vented Oriole have been seen in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. This species prefers pine-oak and subtropical or tropical deciduous and dry forests for nesting and breeding. It may also be found in moist lowlands or montanes of subtropical and tropical climates. This species does not migrate during winter months. The Black-vented Oriole is a foraging species, finding insects, berries and fruit in low vegetation. Currently, the conservation status for this bird is Least Concern.