Northern Oriole (Baltimore Oriole) (Icterus galbula) - summer visitor

Based on 26 observations in Seymour township, Northumberland county, southeast Ontario, 1998-2003, and now 100 (1998-2023).

The northern oriole (Baltimore oriole) spends barely three months in its summer home, with the earliest and latest sightings of 07 May and 19 August. The species has been seen in only five Augusts in 25 full years, and the pattern of occurrence is essentially unchanged in that time (compare the charts prepared in 2003 and 2023). In some years, 2 or 3 sightings may occur in May, and none thereafter: possibly birds in migration to parts north of us. The bird is generally seen singly or in pairs, the bright orange and black of the male contrasting with the pastel colours of the female. Occasionally as many as 4-6 have been seen in a day, e.g., a group of 4 females and juveniles on 17 July 2003. The return date seems fairly constant, around the second week of May, and as noted above and shown in the charts, sightings diminish thereafter, and not infrequently end sometime in July. The returnees must be hungry - a male was noted at a hummingbird feeder on 16 May 2003. In the summer of 2023, on more than one occasion, Rob Wybourn noted one inspecting a flowering trumpet vine, which displays orange blossoms to compete with the male bird's splendid colours!

The oriole is found from early May to early September in Presqu'ile provincial park, roughly 40 km to the south (LaForest, 1993, p.378), with extreme sightings of 29 April and 01 October.

The bird has been seen between 13 April and 11 September in Peterborough county, to the northwest (Sadler, 1983, p.160).

References

LaFOREST,SM (1993) Birds of Presqu'ile Provincial Park. Friends of Presqu'ile Park / Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 436pp.

SADLER,D (1983) Our Heritage of Birds: Peterborough County in the Kawarthas. Peterborough Field Naturalists / Orchid Press, Peterborough, ON, 192pp.