Streak-Backed Oriole (Icterus pustulatus) lives in open woodland across North and Central America. It feeds on insects and fruit. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Hear the Streak-Backed Oriole
A real field recording of the Streak-Backed Oriole, made in the wild.
Recording: Ana Rebeca Martinez Martinez, CC0, via xeno-canto
Hear the full recording of the Streak-Backed Oriole, and 4,400+ more species, in the free Feravox app.
The streak-backed oriole builds a long bag-shaped nest from plant fibres and fungal rhizomorphs, suspending it high in a thorny tree or occasionally on a utility wire. Inside this pouch the female lays three or four white to pale-blue eggs marked with dark brown. The eggs are incubated for twelve to fourteen days, after which the chicks fledge about two weeks later. Both parents share the task of feeding the nestlings until they leave the nest.
Brood parasitism is a common challenge for the streak-backed oriole, with the bronzed cowbird often laying its eggs in the oriole's nest. This parasitic bird deposits its own egg among the oriole's clutch, leaving the host to raise the cowbird chick. The oriole, which is believed to be mostly monogamous, continues to provision its own young alongside the intruder. Such interactions can affect the success of the oriole's breeding season.
Small numbers of the western subspecies I. microstictus are regularly observed in southern Arizona and California, and the subspecies has nested in Arizona. There are also confirmed records of the species as far north as Oregon and Wisconsin.
The subspecies I. maximus is distinguished by a bright yellow crown that sits atop an almost entirely black mantle and back, creating a stark two-tone look. This contrast is far stronger than in the nominate form, whose head and breast are deep orange with heavy black streaks across the back. The uniform darkness of the back gives the bird a solid silhouette when perched among foliage.
The streak-backed oriole is assessed as Least Concern because its range spans from Mexico through Central America and even occasional records in the United States, covering a very large area. The IUCN estimates that there are at least five million mature individuals and that the number is stable, so no immediate threats have been identified. This stability means the species remains common in northern Central America, though it is less frequent in Costa Rica.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
In the sun-drenched woodlands of Central America, the Streak-Backed Oriole flits effortlessly, its vibrant orange plumage and distinctive black streaks slicing through the dappled shade like a burst of golden light. With a fluid, almost languid motion, it navigates the tangled underbrush, its bright eyes scanning the leafy canopy above for the ripe fruits and juicy insects that sustain it. As it moves, its melodic song pours forth, a rich, whistled melody that fills the air, a joyous expression of life and vitality in this thriving, unassuming bird.
Advertisement
Hear the Streak-Backed Oriole, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
