It is also high season for Orioles. The Baltimore and Orchard Orioles are essentially in the eastern half of the US. while the Bullocks Oriole is in the western half. The Hooded and Scotts Orioles are found only in the Southwest. So, in Arizona we commonly have the Bullocks, Hooded, and Scotts. Occasionally, the Streak-backed Oriole and Audubons Oriole are sighted here in southern Arizona. (Both have been reported this year). While the males are fairly easy to identify, the females are a little more challenging.
The Taxonomy -- classification of birds, while scientific, is not something that ornithologists around the world completely agree upon. There are Old World Orioles (Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia) and New World Orioles. Curiously, they are unrelated. New World Orioles are related to "Blackbirds" even though their plumage is much more like Old World Orioles than Blackbirds.
Most of the Orioles in the US are migratory and only here in the Summer. That's true (for the most part) even here in Southern Arizona. Orioles are essentially insect feeders, but will also eat fruit and nectar. I use a modified hummingbird feeder (larger ports and perches), jelly, and a nut/bug mix to attract them. I have those feeders out from March through September.
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| Male Bullocks Oriole |
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| Female Bullocks Oriole |
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| Male Hooded Oriole |
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| Female Hooded Oriole |
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| Male Scotts Oriole |
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| Female Scotts Oriole |
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