Brown Oriole
Oriolus szalayi
A brown oriole with a darker head and cheeks, a dull orange bill, and extensively streaked pale underparts. Juveniles show a pale eyebrow and dark bill. Singles and pairs can be found in the canopy of a variety of habitats in both lowlands and foothills, including forest, mangroves, plantations, and scrubland. Told from Streak-headed Honeyeater by red bill and lack of white moustache, from female figbird by red bill, and from Olive-backed Oriole by contrastingly dark-headed appearance and duller background coloration of underparts. Loud, fluty, friarbird-like calls include “chik-choo-wer” and “du-hoo-du-hoo,” descending on the latter notes. Known to imitate other species.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Oriolus szalayi
- Authority
- (Madarász, G, 1900)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Oriolidae
- Genus
- Oriolus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Glittering-bellied Emerald
Chlorostilbon lucidus
Small green hummingbird found in a variety of open and semiopen habitats, such as forest edges, deserts, savannas, and gardens. Visits feeders. Iridescent green body with a forked dark blue tail and dark wings. Males have a black-tipped red bill with a blue throat, while females have a white belly, black mask, and a black bill with a red base.
Red-breasted Dotterel
Anarhynchus obscurus
Large dotterel endemic to New Zealand. Pale gray-brown above, white to off-white below in non-breeding season. When breeding, underparts are varying levels of orange-red. Southern subspecies is larger and darker than northern subspecies, with more extensive red. Northern breeds on beaches and sandspits around most of the North Island coast, but sparsely on west coast and southern east coast. Many move to estuaries after breeding. Southern breeds only on subalpine habitat of Stewart Island, with some individuals traveling to estuaries and mudflats to feed. Southern winters along estuaries and rivers of Stewart Island and Awarua Bay, Southland; some birds wander farther during winter.
Mosque Swallow
Cecropis senegalensis
This large swallow has rusty-red underparts, a pale buff throat, and a white leading edge to the underwing that is obvious only in flight. It is mostly resident, although it is also a wet season migrant to the north of its range. Pairs prefer wooded savanna, nesting in banks, termite mounds, and often holes in trees, particularly baobabs. The Mosque Swallow may be confused with the juvenile Rufous-chested Swallow, but it lacks the latter species’ dark “ear-flaps” and buffy forward part of the underwing.
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