Rare Bird Report #: 10-A-06

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:

Orchard Oriole

HOW MANY:

1

REPORTER:

Jay Carlisle
6105 Kirkwood Rd
Boise, ID 83709

REPORTER EMAIL:

jaycarlisle@boisestate.edu

OTHER OBSERVERS:

none

DATE REPORT PREPARED:

8-25-06

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:

8-24-2006

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

Camas NWR headquarters

HABITAT:

riparian woodland

CONDITIONS:

I saw the bird at a distance of 50-70m (70m when I first saw it in flight, ~ 50m once it landed) under calm and hazy conditions (smoke from nearby fires had spread over the whole valley the previous afternoon/evening and stayed through the night) - yet visibility was good at short distances (up to a few hundred meters) but poor at longer distances. I used Swarovski EL 10x42 binoculars.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:

No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:

Yes, later the same day

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:

National Geographic 4th edition, Sibley, and Howell & Webb's Guide to the Birds of Mexico

DESCRIPTION:

After hearing the call (see below), I looked up to see a small oriole in flight and then landing at the top of a dead-topped cottonwood. Field marks I noted included: all yellow undersides, dark grayish wings with 2 white wing bars, a relatively long tail with wings extending to just beyond base of tail, and a slender, slightly de-curved bi-colored bill (black and bluish-gray).

BEHAVIOR:

The bird flew in calling (I heard it give a number of single 'chuk' notes both during flight and while perched) and then perched in the upper branches of a dead-topped cottonwood. Thus, I had unobstructed views both during flight and while the bird was perched. Once it landed, it called a few more times and, after about 10 seconds, flew off to the NE calling again. I was conducting a standardized point count survey (still had 5 minutes left!) and thus did not follow the bird (plus, I was already certain of ID). Also, I did not observe any feeding or interactions with other birds.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?

Because I had observed either this individual or a separate female/immature type Orchard Oriole 3 days previously (8-21-06 ... see previous report), it took only a second or 2 after hearing the 'chuk' call notes to realize what I was hearing. Then, once I saw the bird perch, I was able to further confirm the ID by matching the all-yellow underparts, dark wings with wing bars, and slender oriole bill to the call notes.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?

Please see 8-21-06 report for further details on other species. Hooded Oriole is slightly larger, longer-tailed, has a longer and more decurved bill, and has less prominent wing bars. It also has different vocalizations. The bird I saw had 2 prominent wing bars, a shorter bill (only slightly decurved), and a shorter tail (even though I mentioned a 'relatively long tail' in the description, this is relative to expected species in this state of this size and color such as female/immature type Western Tanagers; Hooded has a distinctly longer tail than Orchard) and smaller size than expected for Hooded.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):

I have seen many hundreds of Orchard Orioles in several US states (SD, CT, IA, etc.) and Mexico. I have likely seen 50-100 Hooded Orioles both in the southwestern US and in Mexico.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:

Extensive; 13+ years of dedicated birding and bird research.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?:

None