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LesS13 Offline OP
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"Pack up all my cares and woes,
Here i go, singing low,
Bye, bye, blackbird."...


"Make my bed and light the light,
I'll arrive late tonight,
Blackbird,
I said blackbird,
I said blackbird,
Oh, blackbird, bye, bye."


Streak-Backed Orioles a Blackbird of Different Colors

Every two weeks when I go from my home in Churintzio,Michoacan to Zamora, I often see streak-backed orioles. Yet, rather than being thrilled to view them as these gorgeous and behaviorally fascinating birds are one of my local favorites, I am quite saddened and dismayed. Rather than being in their natural habitat, they are “for sale” in Zamora’s expansive open-marketplace being pedaled and peddled by pajareros/roving bird sellers as they are “displayed” in tiny cages. Unlike the active, vibrant and healthy songbirds that I almost daily see in nature, those held in barbaric captivity appear relatively lethargic, unkempt and frail-looking and somehow, although they really aren’t, seem close-up to me to be smaller than their definitely ought-to-be out-in-nature relatives.

Streak-backed orioles, like all New World orioles, are members of the Icterid family, the same avian family as blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, meadowlarks, caciques and oropendolas. They are one of fifteen species of orioles that occur in Mexico. Primarily a Mexican bird, these typically non-migratory, year round residents in Mexico range from the country’s far north occurring down most of its Pacific slope. In the U.S., they are perhaps the most scarce of the neotropical orioles and may rarely be seen as “casual visitors” usually in the fall and winter in southeastern Arizona and southern California; as an “accidental vagrant” they also may quite infrequently be seen in Oregon, Texas and Colorado. Also, they are rarely seen in the Central American country of Costa Rica.

Adults average in size between 7.5”-9,” with the males being larger than the females. They are sexually dimorphic (there are visually differences between the sexes), interestingly much more so in its northern and central range. Where I live, the Western Pacific region of the country (albeit more than 100 miles inland), it is quite easy at a momentary glance to color-wise tell the females from the males, but when I was on a birding trip in the southern state of Oaxaca, the sexes were hard to distinguish from one another. It is believed that in the south of Mexico this fascinating ecological difference is the result of their being year-round territorial as the females must assist the males in all territorial concerns whereas in the north only in the breeding season are they territorial.

In Churintzio, the adult males that I view typically have bright flame orange-red heads and chests (that is why at one time they were called “flame-headed orioles”), bright orange under parts, yellow-orange backs with black spotted lengthwise streaks (hence, their name “streak-backed”), black wings with white bars and a black tail with white outer tips. The females’ colorings are much duller and muted compared to the males; consequently, the males could be described as being a bright orange oriole and the females as being a yellowish one. Regardless of sex, they all have distinctive black bibs, stout, fairly long and sharply pointed metallic-looking grey bills and strong legs and feet. They are very similar in appearance to both hooded orioles and Bullock’s orioles. Yet, of all the local species of birds that I see, arguably (as I am only arguing with myself), I consider them, along with male vermilion flycatchers and male blue grosbeaks, to be the most lovely birds in my day-to-day viewing area.

Their usual habitat is arid and semi-arid scrubby open areas, brushy woodlands and fields/plantations. On my virtually daily birding hikes on the trails near my house, that is the terrain where they appear year-round. Like the curve-billed thrashers and golden-fronted woodpeckers, I often see them on nopal cactus, particularly when the cactus’ flowers are in bloom or when its fruit, the prickly pears are ripening. Their diet consists mostly of insects (which they often snag midair after a quick burst of flight) and berries, soft fruits, flower nectar and plant buds which they forage for in trees and shrubs.

Often, like with many species of birds, I hear and identify them before I see them as vocally they exhibit an unmistakable dry, hard chattering (or what I prefer to call “streak-backed rattling”) as they are temporarily out of view as they forage in the shrubs on the periphery of the corn or millet fields. Their song, to me, is a rather unmelodious warble, not as appealing or memorable as two other local appearing songbirds, the blue grosbeaks and the aforementioned curve-billed thrashers. Frequently, they issue forth with a series of clear wheet-wheet-wheet call notes.

Once in a while locally I will spot one of their nests as they are quite distinctive. Hanging down from the branches of trees, their weaver-style nests are woven, elongated pouches that look like small baskets. Normally they are made from plant fibers, grasses and tree bark. The last time that I was in the “birders paradise” of San Blas, Nayarit, I discovered that their nests were almost identical to that of their familial avian cousins, yellow-winged caciques, except for the fact that the caciques’ were even more elongated.

As the literature reports, and my experience with them attests to, they are seen either singly or in groups, oftentimes associating with other species of orioles. Perhaps my most memorable all-time birding experience occurred just before sunset one winter’s day at what for good reason I call the “oriole tree” which in a cleared area is about 100 yards from Churintzio’s “Cemetery Pond.” There, that early evening with their typical strong direct flight with rapid wing beats multiple species of orioles were flying in and out of that tree. At one time, delightfully awe-struck I counted thirty-five orioles (I so wish that I could have seen the unexposed to me back of the tree as there must have been many more there!), the vast majority were streak-backed but there were also some bullock’s and two black-vented orioles. With the setting sun beaming in on the orioles, the orioles gloriously looked like lit yellow, orange, red and black Christmas ornaments. This year, the most streaked-backed that I have seen at any one time at “oriole tree” was “only” twelve which isn’t exactly chopped liver either!

So, I hope you can see why I prefer by an exponentially compelling factor, and so should you, to view those gorgeous streak-backed orioles out in nature rather than in some cage. Even though conservation-wise, they are of “least concern” as their population is abundant, THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW! Alas, you see, unfortunately there is not as in Mexico it is legal to sell all species of songbirds as “pets.” Que lastima”/What a pity!

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LesS13 Offline OP
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"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, does that mean it is a duck?"

Or it could mean that it is a Teal which is a dabbler (ok, a duck!)that although it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks (at least the females vocalize quackingly) like a duck quite often feeds by swimming forward slowly in shallow water with their bills partially submerged.

Bing! Bing! Bing!
For the first time since I have been paying attention to birds as I do not remember seeing any of them there before, over thirty Blue-Winged Teals and at least one male Cinnamon Teal have been hanging out at Cemetery Pond for a week or so. Hopefully they will stay there until it is time for them to head North.

In flight the BWTs, these rather smallish ducks (15"-16" as opposed to many species of ducks that are over 20" like Mallards and Canvasbacks), prominently show how they got their colorful name as their wings are an appealing shade of blue. When swimming, that patch of blue on their wings is mostly hidden.

To winter in Mexico, they may fly thousands of miles as their home territories are in the Northern U.S. and Canada as they are strongly migratory preferring to avoid cold weather more than most species of ducks.

In a year where atypically not many wading birds like herons of varying kinds have not made an appearance (or stayed long!) at Cemetery Pond since primarily due to last year's drought there apparently is not enough fish in it to support them, it is great to see these teals joining other swimmers/divers there like coots, grebes and moorhens who also subsist on the underneath vegetation of which there is plenty!

Time for LSS and myself to head off to CP to see if the BTs are still there and if I can see if there is more than one CT.

Last edited by LesS13; 01/24/14 08:24 AM.
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Wow Les, you certainly have a great variety of water birds in your area for your optimum enjoyment.

Seems that even in the height of bird activity in the summer I don't see even half of the amount of different water birds you see at any one of the fresh water bodies around here. I will see the typical Mallard Ducks and Canada Geese, and rarely a pair of Mute Swans. Now and then I will see a Blue Heron or a Snowy Egret, but that is not very often.

Thanks for sharing!


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As I think more about it, probably the lack of variety around here is due to the great amount of developed land around these water bodies. So much human interference in the surrounding land is most likely a deterrent to many species.

On another note, I thoroughly enjoyed your post about Rojee. Even though I believe the Northern Cardinal should be left in the wild, because he was already in captivity at an age when he should have learned survival skills to exist outside, you certainly did him a great service by taking him in. The care you provide him daily far surpasses the typical care that he would have been given by someone else in the area. Rojee is obviously quite happy.

Kudos to you, Les!


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LesS13 Offline OP
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Thanks Debbie! Soon Rojee will be grosbeaking on one of his favorites, a (out of season) mango.

Speaking of water birds(?), bing bing bing serendipitously the other day I was thrilled to see in way inland Churintzio two flocks of 12-16 American White Pelicans as they were migrating southwest as they do every year around this time. They were part of a great migration that even makes the news here! Quite a sight!

Shrike Tree
In a field sits only one tree,
Often with a Loggerhead Shrike atop of it, solitar-ily.
Perched so confidently
Is this tiny bird so predatory.
For two days I did not see
Either him or any other member of his family.
On the third day I was filled with glee,
For then I saw, bing-bing-bing, shrike three.

Last edited by LesS13; 01/28/14 05:39 AM.
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Have just caught up with all your posts Les......all fascinating, informative and gosh you have been busy - Birding editor in all but name.

Agree with Debbie masses of birds have been driven away, or out out of existence by 'us' basically. Really sad. Can see the difference in Germany, where pesticides, even for home gardeners, are heavily regulated, as are 'wild areas' and there are so many different varieties of bird regardless of species.

France, where it is a case of taking one's life into one's own hands as far as the pesticides in the air go for a great deal of the year, plus nature reserves are a bit of a joke, the sighting of almost any type of bird/butterfly/bee is cause for a huge celebration.

As for caged birds - in Brussels there was (probably still is) a bird market in the town center every week. It was pitiful to see these tiny things shivering, rammed up against each other to keep warm in miniscule cages. All from 'somewhere else', certainly not Europe, and totally legal. Used to avoid Brussels on Sunday, but did sign petitions run by we 'sensitive' (a description given to us by a Belgian official) expats, and make formal protests.

We did have two caged birds there which we brought to Germany, but only because they belonged to my youngest son's 2nd grade class and the pupils and teacher lost interest so they were going to have their necks 'rung'. We ended up with them and they lived in style in a huge cage we bought them, almost more suitable for two eagles, for the rest of their days.

How lucky you are to be surrounded by so much wildlife Les smile



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Ah Les you are a quick and clever writer
And all that besides being a smart bird sighter
Now what would happen if you were to write "Yikes!"
Today I saw four and even more types of Shrikes.

I tell you what would happen ... we would read your messages for sure and love your bird descriptions.

Oh Ogden, what have you started?!

Cheers now



Last edited by Lestie4containergardens; 01/28/14 07:00 AM.

Lestie Mulholland
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I love your avatar, Lestie! So bright, cheerful, and lovely.


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