EURASIAN GOLDEN-ORIOLE

Order: Passeriformes.
Family: Oriolidae.

24-25 cm.

45-47 cm.

It is not possible to confuse the Eurasian Golden-Oriole with any other species in the Iberian Peninsula.

DESCRIBED IN THE “AGEING” SECTION

It is possible to recognize three different ages:

Juvenile and 1st year specimen: they have new feathers. The feathers on the back and wing coverts are bathed in a brown-olive with a yellow edge. The undersides are intensely speckled, the brow is a faded gray, the beak is dark brown, and the iris is dark brown. The central pair of rectrices are pointed. Juvenile and 1st year specimens cannot be sexed using feather design.

2nd year specimen: both males and females maintain the juvenile appearance with the undersides always streaked. The central pair of rectrices already have a round tip. The iris is reddish. The 2nd year male generally has the primary coverts with the clear tip measuring 1-10mm. The yellow tip of R6 measures 24-35mm. The malar region band is yellowish. On the other hand, the female has the primary coverts with the clear tip of 1-5mm. The yellow tip of R6 is about 17-28mm. The malar region band is clear, with intermediate plumages being very common.

Adult specimen: On one hand, the adult female has a gorget that is dark gray in color. Generally, the lower parts are gray-white with sparse barring, and the cheek-stripe is clear. Occasionally, females with a design similar to that of the male may appear, with yellowish lower parts and only diffusely speckled, even with a yellow cheek-stripe. This adult female is distinguishable from the 2nd-year male by having a clear gorget (except for those that look like a male). The back is greenish in color. The adult female is distinguished from the 2nd-year female by having the white-yellow tip of the primary coverts more extensive (5-10 mm) and the barring on the lower parts fainter. On the other hand, the adult male is unmistakable by his intense yellow body plumage. The lower parts are devoid of bars. The lore is completely black. The central pair of rectrices is black to the base or almost to the base. The wing feathers are black in color. R6 has a wide yellow patch at the tip (26-38 mm). The primary coverts are black with a wide yellow patch at the tip (7-16 mm).

The Eurasian Golden-Oriole undergoes a very variable partial post-nuptial molt. It usually changes the body feathers, some underwing coverts, and may include some inner and tertial secondary feathers. Generally, this process is usually completed in the month of September.

On the other hand, the post-juvenile molt is a partial process that includes the body feathers, the small, medium, and large underwing secondary coverts, and in some cases, the tertials. Both age classes undergo a complete pre-nuptial molt in their wintering areas, and may retain some secondary feathers or rectrices.

Primaries: 10 per wing.
Secundaries: 10 per wing.
Rectrices: 12.