The western oriole (Oriolus brachyrynchus), or western black-headed oriole, is a species of bird in the family Oriolidae that is native to Africa. The adult upperparts are yellow-olive, and the underparts are yellow in colour. It is rated as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species.
| Western oriole | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Oriolidae |
| Genus: | Oriolus |
| Species: | O. brachyrynchus |
| Binomial name | |
| Oriolus brachyrynchus Swainson, 1837 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy and systematics
The western oriole was first described in 1837 by the English ornithologist William John Swainson.[1] Alternate names for the western oriole include the black-headed oriole (not to be confused with another species of the same name, Oriolus larvatus) and greenish-backed oriole. Two subspecies are recognized:[2]
- West African black-headed oriole (O. b. brachyrynchus) – Swainson, 1837: Found from Guinea-Bissau to Togo and Benin
- Cameroon black-headed oriole (O. b. laetior) – Sharpe, 1897: Found from Nigeria to western Kenya, south-central Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Angola
According to the genetic data, the western oriole and the green-headed oriole (Oriolus chlorocephalus) are sister species.[3]
Description
The western oriole measures 21 centimetres (8.3 in) in length, and weighs 42 to 57 g (1.5 to 2.0 oz).[3] The adult upperparts are yellow-olive in colour; the head to upper breast is black, and the periphery of the wings has a small white patch. It has a brownish pink beak. The underparts are yellow. The tail feathers are black and have broad yellow tips.[4]
The juvenile has olive upperparts. The head is olive, and the throat is streaked with yellow. It has a dusky beak, and black streaked breast.[4]
It has a variety of fluty vocalizations such as uoo-uoo, uoo-dleeo, tioolioo, whee-whooliu, whoolioo, and too-too-tuloo which normally have detached notes, and are lower pitched than those of the black-winged oriole (Oriolus nigripennis). It also emits a harsh whit-cheeew-cheeew.[4]
Distribution and habitat
The western oriole is native to the rainforests of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Benin, and Ghana.[5]
It is found in western and central Africa. It lives either individually or in pairs in canopies of lowland primary forests, secondary forests, forest clearings with shrubs, and forest edges.[3][4]
Status and conservation
Since 1988, the western oriole has been rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. This is because it has a very large range and because its population is thought not to have declined by 30% over ten years or three generations. Although the population size has not been measured, it is thought to be more than the threshold required to warrant it a vulnerable rating. Habitat loss is one reason for its population decline.[1]
References
External links
Media related to Oriolus brachyrynchus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Oriolus brachyrhynchus at Wikispecies
