Forest and Rangeland Birds of the United States

Natural History and Habitat Use

Scott's Oriole -- Icterus parisorum


RANGE: Breeds from southern California, Nevada, Utah, western Colorado, central New Mexico, and western Texas south into Mexico. Winters from southern California to southern Mexico.

STATUS: Common.

HABITAT: Prefers pinyon-juniper woodlands of montane semidesert areas, live oak-yucca associations, and sycamores and cottonwoods in canyons. Also uses joshua-tree habitat.

SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Yucca, pinyon-juniper, or oak trees in arid areas.

NEST: Constructs a cup-shaped nest with fibers of local grasses, weeds, and other vegetative material and suspends it from branches of almost any available tree, including joshua-trees and yucca plants.

FOOD: Probes flowers for nectar and small insects; also eats other insects, berries, and cactus fruits.

REFERENCES: Phillips et al. 1964, Terres 1980.


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