Photo: Gonzalo Zepeda Martínez / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-backed Oriole
Icterus abeillei
Black-backed Oriole (Icterus abeillei) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-backed Oriole (Icterus abeillei) is a member of the Icteridae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 33 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 abeillei
Quick facts
- Weight
- 33 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Icteridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-backed Oriole is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-backed Oriole is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black-backed Oriole (Icterus abeillei) belongs to the Icteridae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA sc Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 33 g, with a wing length of about 10.2 cm and a tail of around 8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 337,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-backed Oriole?
The Black-backed Oriole is a small bird that weighs around 33 g.
Where does the Black-backed Oriole live?
The Black-backed Oriole is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA sc Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-backed Oriole belong to?
The Black-backed Oriole (Icterus abeillei) belongs to the Icteridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-backed Oriole eat?
The Black-backed Oriole is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-backed Oriole migrate?
The Black-backed Oriole is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black-backed 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 Black-backed Oriole make?
1 real field recording of the Black-backed Oriole — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-backed Oriole's range?
The Black-backed Oriole has a mapped global range of about 337,000 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
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