Bahama Oriole

The Bahama oriole is a black and yellow oriole that has small white markings on the wings and tail. It shows the most yellow out of all the Caribbean orioles. The adult male and females are mostly black with yellow underparts, ranging from the mid-breast to the vent, thighs, rump, and lower back. The greater coverts and primaries are thinly fringed with white. The wing linings are yellow and the outer tail feathers have small white tips. The bill and eyes are dark black, and the legs are blue-grey. Like most tropical oriole species, the females are similar or identical to the males in coloring. The immature Bahama oriole is more of an olive-grey with the head a yellowish color.

Historically, the Bahama oriole has been known to inhabit only two major islands in the Bahamas: Abaco and Andros. It became extirpated from Abaco in the 1990s, and today remains only on Andros. The exact reasons for their extirpation from Abaco remain unknown, but it was likely a consequence of Hurricane Andrew. The oriole is now found on the three major islands of Andros: North Andros, Mangrove Cay, and South Andros. It is likely the oriole also occurs on some of the smaller cays, but current documentation is lacking. The species was recognized as endangered by Birdlife International in 2011 with population estimates of 300 or fewer individuals remaining. However, this population estimate conducted by Price et al. (2011) was exclusive to populations in developed habitats near the coast; new findings suggest that the population size could be much larger than previously estimated now that researchers have documented extensive populations in the pine forest. In the past, it was assumed the Bahama oriole preferred to live around settlements and nest in coconut palmss (Cocos nucifera), but now research has shown that they likely prefer to nest in the vast pine forest of Andros. Developed habitats are important for nesting since the species often uses introduced Coconut Palm. …