Photo: David Menke / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is a member of the Icteridae family found in North America. Adults weigh 32.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Icteridae Oropendolas, New World Orioles, Blackbirds
- Genus Icterus
- Species galbula
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Icteridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes differ markedly: the adult male is flame-orange with a solid black hood, black back, and black wings crossed by a single white wing bar, while the female is yellowish to orange-yellow (brightest on the breast) with a grayish to brownish head and back, grayish wings with two bold white wing bars, and at most variable, patchy black on the head rather than the male's solid hood.
Juvenile appearance
Immatures resemble the female; young males do not molt into full black-and-orange adult plumage until the fall of their second year.
Breeding vs non-breeding
No true seasonal plumage change; adult coloration is acquired with age (and females deepen in orange with successive molts), not gained and lost between breeding and non-breeding seasons.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Baltimore Oriole is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Baltimore Oriole is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is a species of bird in the Icteridae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA c, se Canada to c, se USA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.2 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Baltimore Oriole?
The Baltimore Oriole is a small bird that weighs around 32.8 g.
Where does the Baltimore Oriole live?
The Baltimore Oriole is found across North America with a range covering NA c, se Canada to c, se USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Baltimore Oriole belong to?
The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) belongs to the Icteridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Baltimore Oriole eat?
The Baltimore Oriole is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Baltimore Oriole migrate?
The Baltimore Oriole is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Baltimore Oriole endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Baltimore Oriole make?
1 real field recording of the Baltimore Oriole — including its subsong — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Baltimore Oriole's range?
The Baltimore Oriole has a mapped global range of about 4.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
How to Attract Baltimore Oriole to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract Baltimore Oriole to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (nectar), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.