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MEXICAN PLANTS & ANIMALS HOME
Excerpts from Jim Conrad's
Naturalist Newsletter
from the December 6, 2009 Newsletter issued from Hacienda Chichen Resort beside Chichén Itzá Ruins, central Yucatán, MÉXICO; limestone bedrock, elevation ~39m (~128ft), ~N20.676°, ~W88.569°
AN ORIOLE UPSET WITH HIMSELF
The other day as I passed through the parking lot a commotion beside a car turned out to be a male oriole fighting with himself in a rearview mirror, as shown below:
It was a Black-cowled Oriole, ICTERUS DOMINICENSIS ssp. PROSTHEMELAS, sometimes named I. prosthemelas. He's distributed from southeastern Mexico to Panama, plus the Caribbean.
Though male Black-cowled Orioles are distinctive and easy to identify, I've mentioned how hard it is sometimes to distinguish juvenile and female orioles. Therefore, lately I've been paying special attention to the pale bluish area at the base of the oriole's lower mandible, which shows up nicely in the above photo. I used to think that that was just a shiny spot but finally it's sinking in that it can be a helpful field mark. Howell makes special mention of the fact that the Black-cowled Oriole's lower mandible is 30-60% blue-gray at its base while, by contrast, the Altamira Oriole's is only 5-25% blue-gray.
Poor oriole! You can see that his tail is frayed and if you'd watched how vigorously he attacked his reflection you'd understand how it got that way. When I drew too close he simply flew to the next car in line and within five seconds was attacking his reflection in that mirror! It was clear that he'd already become acquainted with that mirror, as he probably had all the mirrors on all the other cars. Just imagine that bird's anguish, knowing he had to deal with all those other male birds trying to barge into his territory.
Somehow he reminded me of that fellow in The Little Prince who felt such a burden because he imagined that the sun wouldn't rise each day if he weren't out there conducting the event.
from the June 20, 2010 Newsletter issued from Hacienda Chichen Resort beside Chichén Itzá Ruins, central Yucatán, MÉXICO; limestone bedrock, elevation ~39m (~128ft), ~N20.676°, ~W88.569°
ORIOLE AT BREAKFAST
Most mornings this week at about the same time each day, just before the sun came up but when already there was enough light to see things, a certain oriole has visited as I sat beside my hut's door eating breakfast. On the first morning he landed not ten feet from me and very plainly looked me over, first with the eye on one side of his face, then with the other, then he changed perches and did it all over again, then practically he hung upside down looking, then he flew closer, onto the ground, then onto a rock... and then he flew off. That's him on the ground below:
On subsequent visits his gawking was hardly less obtrusive; on Friday he arrived with his father, who behaved the same. Visits seldom last for more than a minute.
They're Black-cowled Orioles, ICTERUS DOMINICENSIS, and the one in the picture is immature.
I see several orioles each day. Usually they're the big, frequently-calling Altamiras, but also Hoodeds are common here. Black-cowled Orioles just show up from time to time, and when I do see one often it's that male still attacking his image in various car side-mirrors. I've not seen other orioles doing this.