Hooded Oriole

Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus)

Many residents of Punta Banda are delighted when the Hooded Orioles with their striking plumage arrive every spring to nest. Their arrival is often heralded by a black and brilliant yellow-orange flash across the sky when a male Hooded Oriole dashes through a backyard. A pale olive yellow female Hooded Oriole is often nearby. There are six subspecies of Hooded Oriole, and the subspecies that nests at Punta Banda is Icterus cucullatus nelsoni. This subspecies is noticeably more yellow than the others.

Sometimes called "palm-leaf orioles," these orioles "sew" their hanging nests onto the undersides of palm fronds. When the nest is suspended from palm leaves, the female pokes holes in the leaf from below and pushes the fibers through, effectively sewing the nest to the leaf.  The range of Hooded Orioles has expanded northward as far as northern California after people planted more ornamental palm trees around their homes and suburban areas.

Hooded Orioles can be detected not only by their bright plumage but also by the sound of their soft chattering and occasional melodic calls. The Hood Oriole song is highly variable, both geographically and individually. Each male often sings many different types of songs. Common calls of the hooded oriole include a whistled “wheet” or “sweet “ sound. A chatter call is given as an alarm.

The Hooded Oriole's diet consists of insects, berries, and nectar. Among insect prey, they especially favor caterpillars, beetles, wasps, and ants. They also probe flowers for nectar, and may take insects there as well. They are sometimes described as “nectar robbers” because they pierce the base of the flower to access the nectar, and does not assist in pollination.

Hooded Orioles can be attracted to your yard with oranges, sugar water, or jelly. You can slice the oranges in half and secure them to a post or other platform, or hang up an extra hummingbird feeder with slightly larger holes to allow these larger birds to access the sugar water. Some places sell feeders made especially for orioles, which larger holes. Use the same proportions you would for hummingbirds: one part table sugar dissolved in four parts water. Be sure to dispose of any fruit that becomes moldy because some molds create toxins that are harmful to birds.