Orioles · Perching birds
Eurasian Golden Oriole
Link copied.
Oriolus oriolus
Link copied.
Voice
Song
Song
Song
How to recognize it
-
24–25 cm long
-
Male golden-yellow with black wings and tail; female greenish-yellow above, pale below with dark streaks
-
Stays high in the canopy; fast, undulating flight
-
Low, melodious whistle of 3–4 syllables, audible from a distance: "wee-la-wee-ooo"
About the species
High in the canopy, the male flashes golden yellow against black wings and a black tail, with small yellow patches at the wing edges and tail tips. A dark stripe runs from his bill through the eye. The female is quieter in color, with a greenish-yellow back, gray-green wings, and a pale underside marked with fine dark streaks.
You may hear its clear, fluting song before you spot it: “weela-wee-ooo,” sometimes with small variations. A rough “kweeaahk” is less musical. It keeps to leafy crowns, moving quickly and almost silently from branch to branch; in flight it travels strongly and directly, with shallow dips.
Look for it in open broadleaf woods, along rivers, in orchards, and in large gardens, where it often stays hidden among the leaves. It picks insects—especially caterpillars—from trees and also eats fruit. It spends the warmer months across Europe and temperate Asia, then migrates to central and southern Africa for winter.
Where to find
-
During the breeding season in leafy city parks, listen for the Eurasian golden oriole's fluting song high in the canopy.
-
Along roadside tree plantations, scan dense foliage for quick, almost silent hops from branch to branch.
-
In riverside woodland during the breeding season, watch the upper canopy for foraging among tree-dwelling insects.
-
When fruit ripens, look in gardens and orchards early in the morning for feeding on berries and other fruit.
