Skip to main content

Photo: Madarasz, 1900 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Brown Oriole

Oriolus szalayi

Brown Oriole (Oriolus szalayi) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists
See what's near you right now

The Brown Oriole (Oriolus szalayi) is a member of the Oriolidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 95.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Oriolidae Figbirds, Old World Orioles, Piopios
  4. Genus Oriolus
  5. Species szalayi

Where it lives

Raja Ampat Is. (northwest of New Guinea) and New Guinea (except Trans-Fly)

Quick facts

Weight
95.2 g
Diet
Omnivores
Family
Oriolidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Brown Oriole is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Brown Oriole is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Brown Oriole (Oriolus szalayi) is a species of bird in the Oriolidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea) and New Guinea (except Trans-Fly).

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 95.2 g, with a wing length of about 13.9 cm and a tail of around 11.1 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 680,000 km².

Songs & calls

Brown Oriole — Song

Recorded by Peter Ericsson Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Brown Oriole?

The Brown Oriole is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 95.2 g.

Where does the Brown Oriole live?

The Brown Oriole is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea) and New Guinea (except Trans-Fly), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Brown Oriole belong to?

The Brown Oriole (Oriolus szalayi) belongs to the Oriolidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Brown Oriole eat?

The Brown Oriole is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Brown Oriole migrate?

The Brown Oriole is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Brown 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 Brown Oriole make?

1 real field recording of the Brown Oriole — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Brown Oriole's range?

The Brown Oriole has a mapped global range of about 680,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Oriolidae

More in Songbirds

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.

4 min read

Back to top