The orchard oriole (Icterus spurius) is a small songbird found in North America. Males are bright orange and black, while females are yellow-green with olive-gray wings and tail. Juvenile orchard orioles have plumage that differs from the adults, going through multiple molts before reaching adult coloring. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at what a juvenile orchard oriole looks like, including its size, shape, coloring, and how to distinguish it from similar bird species.
Basic Physical Description
Orchard orioles measure 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in) in length with a wingspan of 8.7-10.2 in (22–26 cm). They weigh between 17–30 g (0.6–1.1 oz). Like most songbirds, females tend to be slightly smaller than males.
The body shape is typical of an oriole – rounded and plump with a fairly large head, short neck, short legs, and a medium-length tail. The bill is pointed, straight, and conical in shape.
Plumage
Juvenile orchard orioles have distinctive plumage compared to the bright breeding adults:
Males:
– Head, throat, back, wings, and tail are blackish-brown.
– Underparts are dull yellow-orange.
– Shoulders are olive-brown.
– Their black/orange coloring is much duller compared to adult males.
Females:
– Head, back, wings, and tail grayish olive-brown.
– Throat and chest dull yellow.
– Belly washed grayish white.
The plumage provides good camouflage for young birds in the trees and bushes. Males molt into adult breeding plumage the year after hatching. Females attain their adult plumage after their first winter.
Beak and Eyes
Juveniles have dark gray bills that turn orange-yellow as adults. Their eyes are brownish-black.
Differences Between Males and Females
While adult male and female orchard orioles are strikingly sexually dimorphic, juveniles show much fewer differences:
– Juvenile males have faint yellow-orange underparts while females are white on the belly.
– Males tend to be very slightly larger.
– Females can be identified in the hand by the presence of a brood patch once they reach breeding maturity.
Otherwise, it can be challenging to distinguish the sexes as juveniles.
Molting Sequence
Orchard orioles molt several times before reaching their definitive adult plumage:
Hatchlings: Covered in gray down. unable to fly.
Fledglings (3 weeks): Flight feathers grown in but still have soft body plumage. Resemble female.
First Fall (3 months): Males get some orange feathers but still female-like.
First Spring: Males attain more black and orange but dull. Females become more yellow below.
Second Fall: Adult male plumage emerges. Females remain dull.
Second Spring: Females get full adult plumage.
This molting sequence allows young orioles to be camouflaged and resemble females initially. The bright male plumage only emerges once the birds are mature and ready to breed.
Similar Species
The juvenile orchard oriole could potentially be confused with the following species:
Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore oriole is the orchard oriole’s closest relative. Juvenile Baltimores are washed brownish-orange below, compared to the dull yellow belly of young orchard orioles. Baltimores also have bold white wing bars, while orchard orioles do not.
Hooded Oriole
Found in the southwest USA, hooded orioles are smaller with thinner bills. Juveniles have yellow underparts with an orange cast across the chest. The hood is poorly defined compared to adults.
Scott’s Oriole
Scott’s orioles are western too but have black heads and underparts as juveniles. Their smaller size and thinner bill also helps distinguish them.
Bullock’s Oriole
This western species has an orange face and throat as a juvenile. The back is grayer compared to the olive-brown of young orchard orioles. Their belly can appear whiter as well.
Behavior
Juvenile orchard orioles behave much like the adults, foraging for insects high in trees by climbing along branches and gleaning foliage. They form small flocks with other juveniles and females.
Young birds are fed by parents for 2-3 weeks after leaving the nest. They learn to forage on their own while still under parental care. Juveniles tend to be quieter than adults but make a range of chattering and squeaking vocalizations.
Habitat
Orchard orioles nest in open wooded areas, forest edges, riverine corridors, and parks with scattered large trees. Juveniles remain in these semi-open habitats after fledging, gradually ranging further from the nest site as they learn to forage.
They frequent deciduous trees like cottonwoods, willows, maples, and oaks. Younger birds tend to forage lower in the trees initially.
Range
Juvenile orchard orioles can be found anywhere within the species breeding range across central and eastern North America. This includes central Canada south to Florida and central Mexico, and west to the Great Plains.
They are migratory, so most juvenile birds travel south with their parents in the fall to overwinter in Mexico and Central America.
Spotting Tips
Here are some tips for identifying juvenile orchard orioles in the field:
– Look high in open deciduous trees, especially near water.
– Listen for dull twittering calls and look for small flocks.
– Distinguish from female by faint orange wash on underparts.
– Note plain face and olive-brown back different from bold adult males.
– Be aware after family groups finish breeding in mid-summer.
– Compare size, bill shape, plumage, and range with similar species.
– Juveniles forage closer to trunks and main branches than adult males.
Conclusion
In summary, juvenile orchard orioles can be identified by their dull brownish-orange plumage, plain faces, yellowish underparts, and squeaking vocalizations. They resemble females but have a faint orange belly. Juveniles molt over the course of two years to obtain the bright black and orange breeding plumage of adult males. They can be found foraging with other young birds and females high in open deciduous trees in summer after completing the nesting period. Careful observation of plumage, along with size, shape, sounds, behavior, and range can help properly identify juvenile orchard orioles in the field.