Golden Orioles In The Limousin

Scientific Name : Oriolus oriolus

Common Names :
English : Golden Oriole
French : Loriot d’Europe
German : Pirol
Dutch : Wielewaal
Spanish : Oropendola Europea

Appearance : About the size of a Starling. Male brilliant yellow with black wings and tail. Female and juvenile yellowish-green with darker wings and tail. Flies with long undulations and remains hidden in tree foliage.

Distribution : Arrives in Limousin region last week of April and can be heard singing into July. Breeds mainly in continental Europe, rare in UK and northern Europe. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa. Occurs in woodland, open deciduous forests, parkland and gardens.

Behaviour : Most conspicuous for the male’s song which is a loud, fluty whistle. Difficult to see as birds stay well hidden in treetops. More obvious when fledged family parties in June/July. Male will respond to imitations of song.

Nesting : Territorial, males holding dispersed ranges, monogamous and single brooded. Nest usually slung between horizontal forked branches, at considerable height. 3-4 eggs. Incubation 15-18 days. Young fledge in 16-20 days.

Status : Declines in central and eastern regions over last 50 years with some increases in west. Very rare in UK and northern Europe, where tends to rely on poplar plantations.