Black-winged Oriole
Oriolus nigripennis
A large oriole found primarily in secondary and submontane forests. Has a golden yellow body, a black head and throat, a red bill, and red eyes. The wings have uniform black primary flight feathers and some black edging on the secondary flight feathers. The tail is black with yellow feather tips. Easily confused with the co-occurring Western Black-headed Oriole, but note Black-winged Oriole’s solid black primary flight feathers and darker black tail. Voice is a varied series of whistles and liquid “tlee-o-yup!” calls.
Identification
The black-winged oriole (Oriolus nigripennis) is a species of bird in the family Oriolidae. It is found in Africa from Sierra Leone and Liberia to southern South Sudan, western Uganda, central Democratic Republic of Congo and north-western Angola. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. Some authorities have considered the mountain oriole to be a subspecies of the black-winged oriole.
Taxonomy
Genus: Oriolus; Family: Oriolidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Oriolus nigripennis
- Authority
- Verreaux, J & Verreaux, É, 1855
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Oriolidae
- Genus
- Oriolus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Small, pale chickenlike marsh bird with washed out gray-blue underparts that contrast with its olive brown back and crown. Note the thick yellow bill and frontal shield. Found in freshwater marshes with abundant floating vegetation where its appearances may be seasonal and erratic. Rarely seen swimming.
Fulvous Parrotbill
Suthora fulvifrons
Small, ornate parrotbill with a pale belly and a long gray eyebrow. Orange overall with dark wing panels and a variable amount of white on the face. Central Chinese birds have a white face patch, while southern Chinese and Himalayan birds are limited to a short and largely unnoticeable white stripe under the cheek. Moves in large flocks through bamboo stands in coniferous and mixed foothill and montane forests. Lacks the dark throat of Black-throated and Golden Parrotbills.
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet
Tyrannulus elatus
Small, small-billed flycatcher usually found in the canopy. Yellow belly with gray head and pale whitish eyebrow. Bold white wingbars. Namesake yellow crown is only sometimes visible. Sexes alike. Voice is the most obvious identification feature: listen for plaintive whistled song, “dee-DEER!” Seen singly or in pairs, usually in open forested habitats such as edges or second growth.
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