<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='360129'>Streak-backed Oriole

Open Bird Bucket List ↗

En bref

Migratrice
  • Scientific Name: Icterus pustulatus
  • Spanish Name: Bolsero dorsilistado
  • Family: Icteridae
  • Known Nicknames: Streak-backed Oriole, Black-vented Oriole, Scarlet-headed Oriole
  • Average Length: 18–21 cm / 7–8.3 in
  • Average Weight: 35–45 g / 1.2–1.6 oz
  • Wingspan: 28–32 cm / 11–12.6 in
  • Key Feature: Bright orange head and underparts with bold black streaks on the back
  • Primary Diet: Omnivore (primarily insects, fruits, and nectar)
  • Range: Pacific slope of Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica
  • Habitat: Tropical dry forests, thorn forests, open woodlands, and riparian areas
  • Social Structure: Solitary or in pairs during breeding; loosely social in winter flocks
  • Nesting/Breeding: Pensile woven nest suspended from tree branches
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : Stable

The Streak-backed Oriole (*Icterus pustulatus*) is a striking songbird of Mexico and Central America, named for the bold, black streaks that sharply contrast against its bright orange or yellow underparts and back. Its general appearance is a vibrant mix of a flame-orange head and breast, a black throat and mask, and a black tail and wings marked with white wing bars, making it a living jewel of arid scrublands and open woodlands. A unique characteristic is its finely pointed, slightly curved bill, perfectly adapted for piercing fruits and catching insects, while its highly varied, flute-like song often incorporates mimicry of other birds. Special features include its remarkable nest-building behavior—the female weaves a deep, hanging pouch of plant fibers that can be over two feet long, a testament to its adaptability and architectural skill in the thorny trees it calls home.

Faits amusants

The Streak-backed Oriole is a master of disguise, using its bright orange and black streaks to perfectly blend into the dappled sunlight of dry forest canopies, a trick that also makes it one of the few orioles to successfully mimic the aggressive calls of larger birds like hawks to scare off rivals. It has a bizarre, almost acrobatic feeding habit, often hanging completely upside down by one foot to pry open tough seed pods or snatch insects from the undersides of leaves. Unlike many songbirds, the female builds her deep, woven pouch nest almost exclusively from fresh, green palm fibers, which shrink and tighten as they dry, creating an incredibly durable and waterproof cradle. They are also notorious kleptoparasites, boldly stealing nesting material directly from the nests of other orioles and even larger birds like magpies while the owners are away.

Habitats et répartition

The Streak-backed Oriole inhabits a variety of open and semi-open environments, including tropical deciduous forests, thorn forests, scrublands, and forest edges. It is also commonly found in agricultural areas, plantations, and along rivers with scattered trees, as well as in suburban gardens and parks. This species prefers lowland and foothill regions, typically from sea level up to about 1,500 meters in elevation. Its geographical range extends along the Pacific slope of Mexico from Sonora and Chihuahua south through Central America, reaching as far as northwestern Costa Rica. It is largely resident, though some populations may undertake local seasonal movements.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Streak-backed Oriole is generally monogamous during the breeding season, with pairs forming strong pair bonds that may persist across multiple years in resident populations. Males establish and defend small territories through song and occasional chases, though they are not highly aggressive compared to other orioles. Courtship involves the male performing a series of bowing displays while singing, often presenting nesting material to the female. The female builds a distinctive, deep, woven pouch nest, typically suspended from the tip of a branch in a tree or palm, using fibers, grasses, and plant strips. She lays 3–5 eggs and handles most of the incubation, while the male assists by bringing food to the nest. A unique reproductive strategy is their occasional brood parasitism by the Bronzed Cowbird, which the orioles may counter by nesting in dense foliage or near aggressive neighbors like wasps or kingbirds. After fledging, both parents continue feeding the young for several weeks, and the family group often remains loosely associated during the non-breeding season.

Alimentation

The Streak-backed Oriole primarily feeds on a varied diet of insects, fruit, and nectar. It actively forages in the canopy and mid-story, gleaning caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders from foliage and bark, and is also known to hawk flying insects. A notable dietary habit is its strong reliance on nectar from flowering trees like erythrinas and bignonias, which it accesses by piercing flower bases rather than entering the bloom, a behavior that makes it an effective but inefficient pollinator. Additionally, it consumes small berries, figs, and occasionally visits hummingbird feeders for sugar water, and has been observed drinking from the sap wells of woodpeckers.

Couleurs

The Streak-backed Oriole has a bright orange head, breast, and underparts, with a black throat, black lores, and a black stripe through the eye. Its back is black with distinct orange streaks, and its wings are black with white wing bars. The tail is black with orange outer feathers. This oriole lacks specific camouflage adaptations, as its vivid colors are typical for attracting mates and signaling in open woodlands.

Distribution Map

Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.

Use the map filter to show only featured places.

Featured places