Jamaican Oriole

Overview

The Jamaican oriole (Icterus leucopteryx) is a species of New World oriole found in Jamaica and on the Colombian island of San Andrés. It belongs to the family Icteridae and is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Approximately 21 cm long, with adults of the nominate subspecies appearing mostly olivaceous yellow with a somewhat yellower belly.
• Features a black mask, throat, and upper breast, with wings that are mostly black but display wide white edges on the inner flight feathers and coverts.
• Subspecies I. l. lawrencii is brighter yellow-green with lemon-yellow underparts.
• Possesses a bluish grey bill with a black culmen, dark brown irises, and dark grey legs and feet.

Habitat

The nominate subspecies inhabits all forest types except mangroves, as well as woodlands and gardens on the island of Jamaica, while the I. l. lawrencii subspecies is found on San Andrés Island. Although it is primarily a bird of the lowlands, it occurs at all elevations on Jamaica. The species is a year-round resident on both islands where it is found.

Diet

This bird feeds primarily on insects and other arthropods, consuming smaller amounts of fruit and nectar, and possibly small vertebrates. It forages in pairs and family groups, often capturing prey by scaling off bark or finding insects in epiphytic bromeliads. It also takes nectar from flowers and hummingbird feeders.

Did you know?

The song of the Jamaican oriole is described as a whistled "you cheat or cheat-you", with other renditions including "tie-tiewu" and "tie-tiewu-tiewu".