Philippine Oriole
Oriolus steerii
A medium-sized bird of lowland and foothill forest and edge. Olive-yellow above with a gray chest, a heavily streaked belly, bright yellow under the base of the tail, a red bill, and orange eyes. Races differ, with Sulu birds being brighter yellow above and having light streaking on the pale gray chest. The only other oriole in range is Black-naped Oriole, which has bright yellow underparts. Song consists of typical oriole-like, medium-pitched notes, some given singly and others in short, melodic phrases.
Identification
The Philippine oriole is a yellowish-brown bird with mainly thin feathers on the upper side of its body, a red beak and red eyes as well.
Taxonomy
First described by Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1877, the Philippine oriole is a member of the genus Oriolus. Some authorities have considered it to be conspecific with, or as a subspecies of, the dark-throated oriole. These two species may form a superspecies with the Isabela oriole.<p>Five subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Oriolus steerii
- Authority
- Sharpe, 1877
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Oriolidae
- Genus
- Oriolus
Range and habitat
Endemic to the Philippines, the Philippine oriole is found in forest, forest edge and second growth in the lowlands of Masbate, Samar, Leyte, Semirara Island, Negros, Bohol, Mindanao, Basilan and the Sulu Archipelago.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Bay-headed Tanager
Tangara gyrola
Stunning tanager: mostly green with reddish head. Some populations have electric blue underparts, others entirely green. Similar to Rufous-winged Tanager but always has green wings. Found in pairs or small flocks in forest and edges, often in mixed feeding flocks from midstory to the canopy. Feeds on fruit.
Partridge Pigeon
Geophaps smithii
Medium-sized pigeon, usually seen on the ground in open woodland or along roadsides in northwestern Northern Territory and the northern Kimberley in Western Australia. Plain brown plumage, with white stripe along the edge of the breast. Distinctive facial markings, with comical red (Northern Territory) or yellow (Western Australia) facial skin. Takes flight with a loud clatter of wings. Compare Squatter Pigeon, Flock Bronzewing (with black-and-white facial markings), and both Chestnut-quilled and White-quilled Rock-Pigeons (with pale wing panels).
Salinas Monjita
Neoxolmis salinarum
Striking flycatcher restricted to the salt flats of the central Argentine lowlands. Very similar to Rusty-backed Monjita, but note unstreaked underparts on adult male, thinner breast streaks on female, and broader wing bars on adults of both sexes in Salinas Monjita. Malar markings also tend to be less distinct in Salinas Monjita than Rusty-backed.
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