Dastardly Duos: Female Orioles
By Larry Liese Article originally published in the May/June 2004 Vermilion Flycatcher Hooded Oriole, Lois Manowitz Now which group of birds are the most brightly colored here in southeast Arizona? Trogons? Hummingbirds? How about warblers? Everyone probably has their favorite, but one group should come out high on anyone’s list: orioles! We’ll take a look at some summer resident female orioles that are much harder to tell apart than their male counterparts. The Hooded, Scott’s, and Bullock’s Orioles are common summer residents in our area. And though the brightly colored males are easy to identify, I warn you the gals are much harder to tell apart! Habitat clues may help in mid-summer, but not much in migration. Hooded and Bullock’s Orioles prefer riparian woodland, with Bullock’s associating with large Fremont cottonwoods. One finds the Hooded in a wide variety of habitats beyond riparian, including desert scrub, and particularly with palm trees in residential neighborhoods. Sco...
