Eurasian golden oriole
The Eurasian golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus) is a striking bird known for the male's vivid yellow plumage contrasted with black wings, earning its name from the Latin word "aureolus," meaning "golden." This species is primarily found in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, migrating from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe and parts of Asia for the breeding season. Males return first to establish territories and sing, while females arrive a few days later, and together they form mating pairs. The female is notable for her exceptional nest-building skills, creating a hammock-like nest high in tree branches, where she lays three to five eggs that both parents incubate and feed after hatching.
Eurasian golden orioles have a diet comprising primarily insects, larvae, and fruits such as cherries and mulberries, and prefer habitats like deciduous woodlands and orchards. These birds are relatively shy and tend to remain hidden in trees, rarely descending to the ground except when foraging. While they face predation from larger birds of prey, they are not considered threatened and have a lifespan of about 10 years. Their solitary nature, except during breeding and migration, adds to their intriguing lifestyle within diverse ecosystems.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Golden oriole
The Eurasian golden orioles' Latin scientific name, oriolus, comes from the word aureolus, which means "filled with gold" or "golden." The male bird's body is brilliant yellow in contrast to his black wings. The bird is native to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, spending its summers in Europe and winters in northern Africa. It may also be found in Asia.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Oriolidae
Genus: Oriolus
Species: Oriolus
Late in the spring the Eurasian golden orioles fly on their return migration from the tropical forest regions of sub-Saharan Africa to the continents of Europe and western and central Asia. In Germany these birds are sometimes called Whitsun birds because they return to that country about the time of Whitsunday, which is the seventh day after Easter. The males return to the spring and summer breeding grounds first, singing loudly and sweetly to claim their various territories which they defend fiercely. The females arrive a few days later, and then the males and females form pairs for mating in May and June.
The name of the Eurasian golden orioles comes from the Latin word aureolus, which means "filled with gold" or "golden." The name refers to the brilliant, yellow plumage, or feathering, of the male birds which covers their heads and bodies. The color is all the more noticeable for its contrast with their black wing and tail feathers which may also have slender, white lines along the edges of the feathers. The female birds have duller-colored plumage, which is pale green underneath and darker green above, sometimes with a greenish-yellow tinge to it. They may also have brown-speckled, brownish-yellow breasts. Both male and female have long, sharp, cone-shaped beaks which are reddish brown. Eurasian golden orioles measure nine to 10 inches (23 to 25 centimeters) in length.
Even though she is more difficult to spot than the male because of her dull green plumage, the female deserves attention for her nest-building skills. Once the male and female have formed a pair they choose a nest site, which is usually high in the tree branches. The female finds a suitable fork in a branch and begins laying grass and strips of bark over the fork. She then glues them to the branch with her saliva. This forms the base and support structure for the hammock-like nest which she then weaves between the supports. Her nest becomes a masterpiece in construction among the birds. She then lines it with grass and lays three to five white, dark-blotched eggs into the bottom. For 16 to 17 days they incubate the eggs, keeping them warm with their bodies until they hatch. Both parents feed their young insect larvae for 16 to 21 days after they hatch. The chicks then fledge, or fly from the nest for the first time, and are independent as they then find other places to live. Late in September they are large enough and strong enough to make the migratory flight to Africa. During these migratory flights between the continents, the birds fly in small flocks which have either all males or all females. Except for mating season and migration, golden orioles are solitary, or live alone.
Eurasian golden orioles are shy birds which stay in the trees most of the time. They rarely descend to the ground except when they are foraging for food. Their long, sharp, straight, pointed beaks are suitable for their diet of insects, insect larvae, spiders, and fruit. Fruit which they pick up from the ground includes wild cherries, bird cherries, and mulberries. Insects are found on the ground or pulled from the bark of trees. From the water, the birds may also eat mollusks occasionally.
The habitats of the Eurasian golden orioles are parks, large orchards, and deciduous woodlands. Deciduous trees are those which bear leaves in the spring and then lose their leaves in autumn. The birds may also live in coniferous woodland regions which also include open land and deciduous trees. Coniferous trees are those which bear needles and are green year-round, in other words, pine, spruce, and hemlock trees. The birds often live near rivers and streams and rarely live at elevations higher than 2,000 feet (600 meters).
Hawks, eagles, and other large birds of prey may prey on the Eurasian golden oriole. The life span of Eurasian golden orioles is around 10 years. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
“Golden Oriole Bird Facts - Oriolus Oriolus.” Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/golden-oriole. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024.
Kravtchenko, Viktor. “Golden Oriole - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio.” Animalia, 2024, animalia.bio/golden-oriole. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024.