256 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



Sennett's Oriole seems to occur in the United 

 States chiefly in a narrow strip of land between 

 the Mexican line and the Rio CoIora.do, ii> Texas. 

 The vegetation here is composed mainly of 

 almost impenetrable thorny thickets, reinforced 

 by yucca trees and cactus growths. Here, Mrs. 

 Bailey records, she found this Oriole's home, 

 which she describes as " one of the most skill- 

 fully wrought nests ever made, a perfect basket 

 hung by the handle to the drooping bayonets in 

 such a way that the sharp points protected it 

 and yet left the bird an easy entrance. The nest 



was made of yucca fiber, decorative touches be 

 ing given by bits of gray moss stuck on here and 

 there." 



The Arizona Hooded Oriole, or Nelson's Ori- 

 ole ( Icterus ciiciillatiis uclsoiii) is similar to Sen- 

 nett's Oriole, but paler and with its forehead 

 entirely yellow. It is found chiefly in Mexico 

 and comes north into southwestern California, 

 southern Arizona, and southwestern New Mex- 

 ico. Once in a while it ventures into central 

 Califoniia. It winters south of the United 

 ."states. 



V 



Drawing by R. I. Brasher 



SENNETT'S ORIOLE (J nat. size) 

 A Mexican-border bird who builds where you must scratch your hands to get at the nest 



ORCHARD ORIOLE 

 Icterus spurius {Liiuurus) 



A. O. U. Number sofi See Color Plate 75 



Other Names. — Brown Oriole ; Basket Bird ; 

 Orchard Starling; Orchard Hang-nest; Bastard Balti- 

 more. 



General Description. — Length. 7 inches. Fore and 

 upper parts, black ; under parts, chestnut. Bill, long 

 and pointed; wings, moderately long; tail, more than J^ 

 length of wing. 



Color. — Adult M.\le : Head, neck, upper chest, 

 back, and shoulders, uniform black; wings (except 

 lesser and iniddle coverts) black, with narrow whitish 

 edgings ; tail, black, the extreme base abruptly yel- 

 lowish ; ruiiip, u[<pcr tail-cnvcrts. lesser and middle 

 zvincj-c averts, and under parts of body (including under 

 winfj-coverts) uniform rich chestnut, often deepening 

 into bay on breast, the rump and upper tail-coverts in- 

 clining to burnt sienna; iris, brown. Adult Female: 

 Above yellowish olive-green, becoming more yellowish 



on upper tail-coverts and tail, the back duller, with 

 feathers indistinctly darker centrally; under parts, dull 

 canary-yellow, tinged with olive on sides and flanks ; 

 wings, dusky, all the feathers margined with li.ght olive- 

 grayish (these edgings approaching white on longer 

 primaries), the middle and greater coverts broadly 

 tipped with dull whitish, forming two bands. M.\le im 

 Second Ye.\r : Similar to adult female, but lores, front 

 jiortion of cheeks, chin, and throat, black; breeds in 

 this plumage; males more than one year old. but not 

 yet fully adult, are variously intermediate between this 

 black-throated yellow plumage and the fully adult 

 livery ; three years are required for full pluma.ge. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest : In groves or orchards from 

 5 to 20 feet up ; a basket-shaped, semi-pensile structure, 

 frequently woven of green grass, lined with feathers. 

 Eggs: From 4 to 6. pale bluish-wliite. spotted and 



