OLD WORLD ORIOLES AND FIGBIRDS: Oriolidae

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Orioles and figbirds are thrush-like birds in size and shape. Adults have patterns of brilliant yellows and blacks, while juveniles (and some adults) are streaked near the abdomen. They have long rounded wings and square-tipped, twelve-feathered tail. The tenth primary feather is well developed, while the number of secondary feathers is usually eleven in orioles and ten in figbirds. Bills are straight, stout, and notched at the tip of the upper mandible (top part of a bird's bill). On the sides of the bill are bristles and narrow nostrils that are partly protected by a membrane. Their feet are stout, but shorter than the longest toe. Adults are 7.0 to 11.5 inches (20 to 28 centimeters) long and weigh between 2 and 5 ounces (50 and 135 grams).

Orioles have brightly colored yellow and black plumage (feathers), a brick red bill, and slate gray feet. Male orioles are more brightly plumaged that females and have a bare patch of red skin around the eyes. Juveniles have brown-olive backs with dull bill, eyes, and feet, and a white abdomen with dusky streaks.

Figbirds (and some orioles) have black or slate-colored bill, sometimes pale eyes, and flesh-colored or black feet. Males have a black crown (top of head) and bill, an olive back, and yellow, white, olive, or gray breasts, while females and juveniles are plumaged like juvenile orioles.

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Orioles and figbirds are located throughout the far northwest Africa and the sub-Saharan, temperate Eurasia (except its central deserts), south and east to India, Southeast Asia, and Indonesian archipelagos as far as New Guinea, and north and east Australia.

HABITAT

Orioles and figbirds are found in medium to tall woodlands and forests, including rainforests. They prefer to live in the upper dense foliage and crowns of broadleaf trees within forests and woodlands, generally in temperate (mild) regions but also in rainforests in the topics.

DIET

These birds eat fruits and insects.

BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION

Figbirds usually live in communities of twenty to forty birds during the nonbreeding season and in larger colonies during the breeding season, while orioles are usually solitary birds. Figbirds like to perch on high bare branches. They give one- or two-note whistled songs all year round in order to maintain contact with other figbirds. Orioles sing a short rolling warble that is repeated many times during breeding and is heard for nearly 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometers) in order to show they are defending a territory. The grouping and pitch of notes vary among species, but the basic sound is the same. Both orioles and figbirds use short, harsh squawks when they are nervous or angry. They fly in direct and wavy flights, from tree to tree, but orioles are faster and swoop up just before perching. Orioles and figbirds are quiet and motionless while in tree crowns, often sun-bathing or rain-bathing there. About two to ten breeding pairs are found per 0.6 square miles (1 square kilometer), with the exact number determined by their surroundings.

Breeding occurs from time-to-time all year-round in the tropics, but is from spring to early summer in temperate regions. Orioles and figbirds are basically monogamous (muh-NAH-guh-mus; having one mate). Oriole males find and hold a small territory while females build the nest (sometimes more than one) and incubate (sit on) the eggs with some help from her mate. Orioles build thick, deep basket-shaped nests of dry plant fiber tied together with animal wool, moss, and lichen. The nest is hung from a horizontal fork in the outer branches of trees usually high off the ground. Strips are moistened with their saliva to hold the nest together. Figbirds build a rough cup of twigs and tendrils in small outer branches. Figbird and oriole females lay two to four eggs (usually three in figbirds) that are pale gray olive in figbirds and pinkish white to pale cream buff in orioles. Both eggs can be spotted and speckled with black to reddish browns. The incubation period (time to sit on and warm the eggs before they hatch) is sixteen to eighteen days. Young have yellow down and are fed by regurgitated food (food brought up from stomach) from their parents. Sometimes male helpers also help out. Usually only one brood (young birds born and raised together) occurs each year.

ORIOLES, FIGBIRDS, AND PEOPLE

There is very little significance between orioles and figbirds and people.

CONSERVATION STATUS

One species of orioles and figbirds are listed as Endangered, facing a very high risk of extinction; two species as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction; and three species as Near Threatened, in danger of becoming threatened with extinction.

AUSTRALASIAN FIGBIRD (Sphecotheres vieilloti): SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Physical characteristics: Australasian figbirds are stout, fairly short-tailed figbirds with olive-green upperparts, a gray throat, buff-red bare eye skin, and a black head. They also have black primary feathers and tails. Adults are 10.0 to 11.5 inches (25 to 29 centimeters) long and weigh between 4.0 and 4.5 ounces (110 and 130 grams).

Geographic range: They are located on the coastal northern and eastern Australia (Kimberley Division to Illawarra district), southeast New Guinea, and Kai Islands (in the Banda Sea).

Habitat: Australasian figbirds are found at the edges of rainforests, gallery vine forests, mangroves, and gardens.

Diet: Australasian figbirds feed on small, soft fruit such as figs, native cherries, and ink weed and tobacco bushes. They also eat guavas, bananas, and mulberries. They usually feed in tree crowns.

Behavior and reproduction: Australasian figbirds live in communities of loose, noisy, locally nomadic (wandering) flocks of up to thirty to fifty birds in the tree canopy. They often perch high on bare branches and power lines. Their calls are loud, single- or double-note whistles. They are monogamous birds, usually breeding in small groups that defend a small territory during a breeding season from spring to summer (October to February). Nests are shallow, fragile, and saucer-like, and are built of plant fiber and tendrils. Females usually lay three eggs. Both parents share all nesting activities, while other birds may help out.

Australasian figbirds and people: There is no known significant relationship between people and Australasian figbirds.

Conservation status: Australasian figbirds have been able to adapt quickly to habitats that have been altered by people. They are common and under no threat of diminished populations. ∎

EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE (Oriolus oriolus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Physical characteristics: Eurasian golden orioles are covered with a golden color except for black wings, tails, and a stripe through the eyes. Females are duller than males with a greenish back.

Geographic range: They range in Europe and far northwest Africa east to Asia Minor, the Caspian Sea, western Siberia, and, in winter, sub-Saharan Africa; Central Asia, from western Siberia south in winter to Afghanistan and Himalayas, peninsular India, and north Sri Lanka.

Habitat: Eurasian golden orioles prefer woodlands and open forests of mostly broadleaf and deciduous mature trees.

Diet: Their diet consists of a variety of insects including hairy caterpillars and a range of small fruits, some seeds, buds, small reptiles, nestling birds, and eggs. They feed from foliage at the tree crowns but also hover near the ground in search of food and perch on branches and fly to food when found.

Behavior and reproduction: Eurasian golden orioles are solitary birds. They stay in the upper areas of trees. Songs that are sung all year round, but more often by males than females, is a loud, warbled whistle of three or four syllables that is repeated and sung in different ways. When anxious, they give out a grating, drawn-out squalling.

The birds are monogamous. Females produce one brood each year. Males defend territories. The nest is built in the shape of a shallow cup, using plant fiber and stems. It is hung over a thin horizontal fork in high foliage. Females build it, with some early help by her mate, usually in six to twelve days. Females lay three to four creamy or pink-white eggs that are scattered with dark brown and blackish spots. The incubation period is fifteen to eighteen days, and is performed by the female with assistance from the male. Both parents feed the young and sometimes helpers feed them, too. The fledgling period is sixteen to twenty days.

Eurasian golden orioles and people: People in northern Europe like to predict the coming of spring with the arrival of Eurasian golden orioles. They also like the golden plumage and fluted song of the birds.

Conservation status: Eurasian golden orioles do not appear to be threatened in any way. Species in central and eastern Europe seem to be declining, but populations in western Europe seem to be increasing. ∎

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Books:

del Hoyo, Josep, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal, Jose Cabot, et al., eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, 1992.

Dickinson, Edward C., ed. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World, 3rd ed. Princeton, NJ and Oxford, U.K.: Princeton University Press, 2003.

Forshaw, Joseph, ed. Encyclopedia of Birds, 2nd ed. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 1998.

Harrison, Colin James Oliver. Birds of the World. London and New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1993.

Perrins, Christopher M., and Alex L. A. Middleton, eds. The Encyclopedia of Birds. New York: Facts on File, 1985.

Web sites:

"Eurasian Golden Oriole." Haryana, India, haryana-online.com. http://www.haryanaonline.com/Fauna/Birds/eurasian_golden_oriole.htm (accessed on July 20, 2004).