Species guide

Who's at your jelly feeder?

East of the Great Plains it's almost always the Baltimore Oriole; west of it, Bullock's. Add a small chestnut early-departer, two desert specialists, and a tropical giant in South Texas, and you have the whole US oriole cast.

Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula

The East's flame-orange jelly connoisseur. Regular in 40 states.

Bullock's Oriole

Icterus bullockii

The West's cottonwood-canyon counterpart. Regular in 17 states.

Orchard Oriole

Icterus spurius

The little brick-red oriole that leaves by August. Regular in 40 states.

Hooded Oriole

Icterus cucullatus

The palm-tree oriole of the Southwest. Regular in 5 states.

Scott's Oriole

Icterus parisorum

The lemon-and-black voice of the yucca desert. Regular in 6 states.

Altamira Oriole

Icterus gularis

The tropical giant of the Rio Grande Valley. Regular in 1 states.

Whoever shows up, the menu is the same: grape jelly, orange halves, and 6:1 nectar.

Feeding guide