Eric Gofreed
Well-Known Member
Winged Wednesday 2/4/2026: Orioles
It’s Winged Wednesday—where feathers, flutters, and flight steal the show! Whether they’re soaring, skimming, stalking, or just striking a pose… birds, bugs, bats, insects, or even airplanes—if it has wings, we want to see it. If it’s got wings, it belongs here.
My contribution this week is all about orioles photographed here in the USA.
Orioles have always felt slightly tropical to me—like they missed a turn somewhere near Costa Rica and accidentally ended up in my neighborhood. One minute the tree looks empty, the next it’s on fire with orange and gold.
They sing like flutes, weave hanging basket nests like master craftsmen, and somehow look freshly painted even when perched in dusty desert mesquite.
Here are a few of my favorites and where they make their living:
Scott's Oriole (yard photo)
Desert formalwear—black tuxedo, lemon vest—usually found singing from a yucca or agave like it paid rent on the plant.
Habitat: High desert scrub, yucca flats, rocky slopes.
Hooded Oriole (yard photo)
A tropical-looking show-off that somehow thrives in desert heat. Frequently spotted weaving improbable nests in palm fronds like an avian hammock engineer.
Habitat: Palms, desert neighborhoods, backyard feeders.
Audubon's Oriole
Quieter colors but a rich, glowing yellow that seems to shine from inside the shade. More voice than flash—a flutist hiding in the brush.
Habitat: Dense thorn scrub and mesquite of south Texas.
Bullock's Oriole (yard photo)
Bright orange, bold, and completely unconcerned with subtlety. If a sunset learned to fly, it would look like this.
Habitat: Cottonwoods, riparian corridors, parks, and neighborhoods near water.
Orchard Oriole
The smallest of the group—chestnut and black instead of blazing orange—but twice the attitude per ounce.
Habitat: Orchards, hedgerows, open country with scattered trees.
Epilogue:
In North America, I have photographed the Baltimore oriole and the Altamira oriole. I’ve seen the Streak-backed Oriole, Spot-breasted Oriole, and Black-vented Oriole. Those sightings were back when I was a birder, before I started photographing birds.
It’s Winged Wednesday—where feathers, flutters, and flight steal the show! Whether they’re soaring, skimming, stalking, or just striking a pose… birds, bugs, bats, insects, or even airplanes—if it has wings, we want to see it. If it’s got wings, it belongs here.
My contribution this week is all about orioles photographed here in the USA.
Orioles have always felt slightly tropical to me—like they missed a turn somewhere near Costa Rica and accidentally ended up in my neighborhood. One minute the tree looks empty, the next it’s on fire with orange and gold.
They sing like flutes, weave hanging basket nests like master craftsmen, and somehow look freshly painted even when perched in dusty desert mesquite.
Here are a few of my favorites and where they make their living:
Scott's Oriole (yard photo)
Desert formalwear—black tuxedo, lemon vest—usually found singing from a yucca or agave like it paid rent on the plant.
Habitat: High desert scrub, yucca flats, rocky slopes.
Hooded Oriole (yard photo)
A tropical-looking show-off that somehow thrives in desert heat. Frequently spotted weaving improbable nests in palm fronds like an avian hammock engineer.
Habitat: Palms, desert neighborhoods, backyard feeders.
Audubon's Oriole
Quieter colors but a rich, glowing yellow that seems to shine from inside the shade. More voice than flash—a flutist hiding in the brush.
Habitat: Dense thorn scrub and mesquite of south Texas.
Bullock's Oriole (yard photo)
Bright orange, bold, and completely unconcerned with subtlety. If a sunset learned to fly, it would look like this.
Habitat: Cottonwoods, riparian corridors, parks, and neighborhoods near water.
Orchard Oriole
The smallest of the group—chestnut and black instead of blazing orange—but twice the attitude per ounce.
Habitat: Orchards, hedgerows, open country with scattered trees.
Epilogue:
In North America, I have photographed the Baltimore oriole and the Altamira oriole. I’ve seen the Streak-backed Oriole, Spot-breasted Oriole, and Black-vented Oriole. Those sightings were back when I was a birder, before I started photographing birds.
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Beautiful birds as your images attest.
