golden orioles

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gavilan
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golden orioles

Postby gavilan » Sat Jul 19, 2008 12:33 pm

Every year come July the golden orioles arrive. Presumably they come when some kind of fruit is ripe and ready for their eating. But does anyone know which fruit?

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Trooperman
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Postby Trooperman » Sat Jul 19, 2008 2:14 pm

My info. says they eat insects......and there's plenty of those to go around!
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peteroldracer
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Postby peteroldracer » Sat Jul 19, 2008 2:52 pm

(From "Aves de España y Europa" by Maurice Dupérat: ISBN-13: 978-84-305-5890-2 published by Tikal - all in Spanish but very comprehensive with lots of piccies!)
ORIOLIDAE
OROPÉNDOLA Oriolus oriolus
Aspecto:
Macho Colores muy característicos que lo distinguen de otras aves europeas. Plumaje color amarillo oro brillante, con las alas y la cola negras, esta última con las esquinas amarillas. Manchita amarilla en el centro del ala. Ojo rojo y pico rosa.
Hembra Dorso verde oliváceo con el obispillo mas amarillento. Alas y cola gris negruzco. Zona inferior color blanco grisáceo, con finas estrias longitudinales oscuras. Pico rojizo.
Hábitat Ave tipica de las formaciones boscosas de llanura (encinas, quejigos, melojos). Tambien muy ligada a álamos, sauces, alisos, chopos y otros árboles de ribera. Rara por encima de los 1.000m.
We had our first pair here in March, so you are a bit behind up there in the deepest Axarquia!
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gavilan
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golden orioles

Postby gavilan » Sat Jul 19, 2008 3:04 pm

peteroldracer: amazed you see them in March ... they only come here in July ... had not realized La Axarquia Alta was so much colder than La Axarquia Baja!
and
Trooperman: there are no more or special flies here in July than any other month in summer! I had always assumed it was some ripe fruit they were after ...

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Postby Sandramay » Sat Jul 19, 2008 3:34 pm

Ask Karen if they like her white Mulberries.............. :lol:
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Postby wagon ropes » Sat Jul 19, 2008 3:42 pm

Gavilan, we also hear Golden Orioles from May onwards although we seldom see them. They do make the most beautiful sound, a sort of flutey warble which is very reminiscent of the rain forest. Not unreasonable since that is where they mainly live.

I suspect that it is insects they are after as they stay mostly down in our arroyo and there is not much fruit there at the moment. If you do catch a glimpse of them they are beautiful birds although I think they do come second to Bee Eaters.
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gavilan
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golden orioles

Postby gavilan » Sat Jul 19, 2008 3:53 pm

white mulberries appear a possibility!
wagon ropes: the golden orioles here although a handsome golden-yellow bird has a rather ugly shriek of a sound. But the nightingale which is still singing during the day has the most beautiful fluid and varied song. He or she I have never seen, only heard!

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peteroldracer
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Postby peteroldracer » Sat Jul 19, 2008 5:19 pm

wagon ropes wrote: I think they do come second to Bee Eaters.
With the Hoopoe (Abubilla) somewhere on the podium?
The Spanish name for the Beeeater is a bit of a tongue-twister - Abejaruco.
Last edited by peteroldracer on Sun Jul 20, 2008 12:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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karandjon
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Postby karandjon » Sat Jul 19, 2008 9:34 pm

Sandramay wrote:Ask Karen if they like her white Mulberries.............. :lol:
ooooohhhh, they love our huge Mulberry Tree!!! Theres almost one or two in there, daily, for quite a few months of the year! I like to consider them part of the family, these days! :lol:
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Postby Sandramay » Sun Jul 20, 2008 11:47 am

Wagon ropes, the sound you describe is just like the bee eaters when they are in flight, beautiful, like a babbling brook. One bird I would add to the list is the tiny, tiny firecrest. They nest in one of our lemon trees. The eggs are smaller than my little finger nail and the babies hatch with a Mohican 'hairstyle' :)
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Postby wagon ropes » Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:02 pm

Gavilan, if you google golden oriole you will see that the screech is their call and sounds rather like a jay but their song is the flutey sound I described. We have a pair of jays nesting nearby too and it is very difficult to tell the screeches apart.

I too love to hear the bee eaters; they remind me of the noise the old trim phones used to make. Also they seem to call all the time they are flying; almost as if their wings are attatched to their beaks!
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gavilan
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golden orioles

Postby gavilan » Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:38 pm

thank you wagon ropes ... I must listen more carefully

Mariacristina
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Golden Orioles

Postby Mariacristina » Sun Jul 20, 2008 8:29 pm

I saw a Golden Oriole in our valley very early in May. It was close to the river but flying amongst olive trees. I am in the south of Cordoba Province at a height of about 800 m. I have also seen Golden Orioles in May in the Sierra de Grazalema where it is much higher.

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Postby maddy » Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:22 pm

we have the orioles at the moment around the countryside here.they are beautiful creatures but have yet to see one in our garden. is there anything i can plant to entice them?


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