Bird · GBIF taxon 5229893
Altamira Oriole
Icterus gularisAlso known as Lichtenstein's Oriole
Altamira orioles are the largest orioles in North America, boasting brilliant orange plumage paired with a jet-black back, throat, and tail. They construct extraordinary pendulous nests that can dangle up to a meter long from high branches or utility wires. Foraging slowly and methodically through dense dry forests and tropical lowlands, these vocal songbirds consume fruits, nectar, and insects.
TropicalSongbirdColorful
Licensed reference(c) Juanito Escamilla, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Caterpillars
- Beetles
- Berries
Predators
- Hawks
- Owls
- Snakes
ThreatsBrood parasitism by Bronzed Cowbirds, habitat fragmentation, and severe winter freezes
HabitatsSubtropical lowlands, dry thorn scrub, riparian forests, and citrus groves
Life span5–8 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyIcteridae
- SpeciesIcterus gularis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Nests: Scan high branches and utility wires for long dangling woven nests.
- Listening for Calls: Listen for a slow, musical sequence of rich whistled notes.
- Feeder Visits: Attract local birds in south Texas using fresh orange halves and nectar feeders.
Brood Parasite (c) Adrianh M. Orozco, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Adrianh M. Orozco · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Gonzalo Zepeda Martínez, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Gonzalo Zepeda Martínez · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) datadan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Migratory Relative TonyCastro / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.