(_Icterus spurius_) Blackbird and Oriole family
_Called also_: ORCHARD STARLING; ORCHARD HANG-NEST
_Length_--7 to 7.3 inches. About one-fourth smaller than the
robin.
_Male_--Head, throat, upper back, tail, and part of wings
black. Breast, rump, shoulders, under wing and tail coverts,
and under parts bright reddish brown. Whitish-yellow markings
on a few tail and wing feathers.
_Female_--Head and upper parts olive, shading into brown;
brighter on head and near tail. Back and wings dusky brown,
with pale-buff shoulder-bars and edges of coverts. Throat
black. Under parts olive, shading into yellow.
_Range_--Canada to Central America. Common in temperate
latitudes of the United States.
_Migrations_--Early May. Middle of September. Common summer
resident.
With a more southerly range than the Baltimore oriole and less
conspicuous coloring, the orchard oriole is not so familiar a bird in
many Northern States, where, nevertheless, it is quite common enough
to be classed among our would-be intimates. The orchard is not always
as close to the house as this bird cares to venture; he will pursue an
insect even to the piazza vines.
His song, says John Burroughs, is like scarlet, "strong, intense,
emphatic," but it is sweet and is more rapidly uttered than that of
others of the family. It is ended for the season early in July.
This oriole, too, builds a beautiful nest, not often pendent like the
Baltimore's, but securely placed in the fork of a sturdy fruit tree,
at a moderate height, and woven with skill and precision, like a
basket. When the dried grasses from one of these nests were stretched
and measured, all were found to be very nearly the same length,
showing to what pains the little weaver had gone to make the nest neat
and pliable, yet strong. Four cloudy-white eggs with dark-brown spots
are usually found in the nest in June.