Kentucky Ornithological Society

Scott's Oriole

Photos & text by David Roemer

Photos taken on February 8, 2007, in Frankfort, KY

The combination of features shown by this bird eliminating other orioles are:

• Yellow underparts eliminating some species.
• Relatively long, thin and straight bill and relatively short tail.
• Dark streaking on the back.
• Shape of lower wing-bar. The white tips to the greater secondary coverts forming the lower wing-bar on Scott's are typically wider and with a straighter inner edge than on other yellow orioles. The lower wing-bar of most orioles more closely follows the contour of the feathers with a rounded inner edge to the wing-bar on each feather.

With good views, some yellow lesser coverts are also visible which eliminates most oriole species.

Scott's tail pattern with yellow bases to the otherwise dark outer feathers. This in itself eliminates other species. The only species showing a somewhat similar tail pattern is Bullock's with the bases being orange (Baltimore is reversed). I considered an immature male Bullock's x Baltimore hybrid but I don't believe first-year males of those species show adult tail patterns. I also considered orange oriole species that could perhaps be showing yellow aberrant plumage but believe the combination of features eliminates all other species.

Although I didn't notice them while viewing the bird, a couple of photos show whitish tips to the outer rects as illustrated by Sibley.