Fun Golden Oriole Facts For Kids

The Eurasian golden oriole are very colorful birds with a sweet flute-like chirping sound. Their scientific name is Eurasian golden oriole oriolus. They are brightly colored and can easily draw the attention of us humans. Eurasian golden oriole oriolus are the only member of the old world oriole family breeding in the northern hemisphere temperate regions. They are migratory birds. They are bright yellow in color and have black wings. The female bird is a little on the greener shade. The Indian golden oriole birds have black stripes through the eye which gives it a masked appearance.

Many breeds of Eurasian Golden oriole oriolus have golden colored wings while others have black wings. Their primary habitat is in tall forests and large gardens in western Europe. During summer migration, they travel through the semi-arid regions of the eastern Mediterranean.

After this article on golden oriole oriolus, you may also like look at red bird of paradise facts and barn owl facts.

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What type of animal is a golden oriole?

Golden orioles are brightly colored migratory birds found in Europe and Asia in summers and in Central and western Africa in winters. They are the only members of the Orion world oriole family breeding in the northern hemisphere temperate regions.

What class of animal does a golden oriole belong to?

They belong to the bird class.

How many golden orioles are there in the world?

There is no specific data regarding the number of golden orioles present in the world but they are large in population and their conservation status is of Least Concern.

Where does a golden oriole live?

They are the only member of the Orion world oriole family who breed in the northern hemisphere temperate regions. They travel between Europe and Asia in spring migration and treat central and western Africa as their wintering habitat.

What is a golden oriole's habitat?

They are usually found in tall forests, high up in the tree canopies. They are comfortable in temperate weather conditions. Severe or unpredictable climatic conditions impose a threat to these birds.

Who do golden orioles live with?

They are found alone or in pairs. They are sometimes also found in small groups. They generally avoid treeless habitats and enjoy habitats in western Europe.

How long does a golden oriole live?

Golden orioles can live up to 8-10 years. The life expectancy can increase or decrease based on the weather conditions.

How do they reproduce?

Eurasian golden orioles breed after they are two to three years of age. Males usually arrive before the female. The nest site can further suggest that the pair bond will or will not continue for the next season. The nest is usually placed high up in the tree, towards the edge of the crown. Their clutch is usually three to five eggs that are laid at daily intervals in the morning.

What is their conservation status?

They are not scarce in population and fall under the Least Concern list of the conservation status. It is one of the most popular bird species in the European region.

What do golden orioles look like?

Golden orioles are small to medium sized, colorful birds. The male golden orioles have a black and a yellow plumage while the female birds is a little on the greener shade. They are shy birds and are a little difficult to see despite their colorful feathers. The Indian golden orioles have black stripes extending behind their eyes which look like a mask. The male birds have black wings and tail, which separates them from their female counterparts.

How cute are they?

They are extremely cute birds which are difficult to see, despite their bright feathers. Their colors are vibrant with yellows and greens. The black stripe extending behind their eyes makes them look like they are wearing a mask. Their sweet chirping is flute like which makes it very appealing. One cannot ignore the chirp once heard.

How do they communicate?

Golden orioles are active during the day and this is when they communicate most of the time. They use whistling calls as a part of their communication with other golden orioles. They usually communicate to alert them about harsh predators or nearby birds. Natural enemies of these birds are hawks, eagles and other large birds of prey.

How big is a golden oriole?

They are small to medium sized birds who are similar in size to the strangles. They are 20-25 cm in height and weight up to 0.5-0.7 oz.

How fast can a golden oriole fly?

Golden orioles reside on the top of the trees in the canopies. They have a fast flight and usually take small sips while travelling long distances. Since they are migratory birds, they are used to travelling larger distances at once. They fly at a speed of 26 mph.

How much does a golden oriole weigh?

The weight of a golden oriole is somewhere between 0.5-0.7 oz.

What are their male and female names of the species?

They don't have distinctive names based on the sex, but are usually referred to as golden oriole male and golden oriole female.

What would you call a baby golden oriole?

A baby golden oriole is generally referred to as a chick.

What do they eat?

Golden orioles are omnivores birds and primarily eat insects, dead organisms and fruits. Since they reside high up in the tree amongst the canopies, they also bite on seeds at that height.

Are they loud?

Golden orioles are usually shy and cannot be frequently seen by humans despite their bright colors. They can be spotted only by their loud whistling noise. They have jarring notes and sound very much like a flute. They even use these to alert fellow golden orioles from their potential predators.

Would they make a good pet?

No, golden orioles are not good as pets. In fact, in some places, it is also illegal to have a golden oriole as a pet. They are wild creatures who migrate during summers and winters. They are used to living on high tree canopies and these requirements are difficult to meet at home. Hence, keeping a golden oriole as a pet is not advisable.

Did you know...

Sexual dimorphism is very prominent in golden orioles.

They are diurnal birds, meaning they are active during the day time.

They play a huge role in the dispersion of seeds in the wind.

It can be recognized by its loud voice.

Male and female golden orioles chase each other from tree to tree during courtship.

Different types of golden oriole

There are three different types of golden orioles, namely  Indian golden oriole, African golden oriole, Eurasian golden oriole. They differ in the terms of size and colors. The Indian golden oriole has a black strip extending its eye. The African oriole builds a hanging based shaped nest in the tree.

Golden orioles in popular culture

The golden oriole bird symbolizes friendship. It has a strong cultural significance of loyalty.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including secretary bird, or bee hummingbird.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Golden Oriole coloring pages.