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Introduction

The Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) is an eastern species that breeds from southern Saskatchewan south through North Dakota, eastern Montana, eastern Wyoming, eastern Colorado, and eastern New Mexico south into northern Mexico, across to Texas, along the Gulf States to northern Florida, north to southern Maine and west Massachusetts, through New York State, into southern Ontario across Minnesota into southern Manitoba (Farrand 1983, Godfrey 1986, Campbell et al. 2001, Hamilton et al. 2007). The winter range of the Orchard Oriole is from southern Mexico through Central America to Columbia and Venezuela (Farrand 1983, Godfrey 1986, Campbell et al. 2001). The Orchard Oriole is a vagrant found regularly in both spring and fall in Atlantic Canada (Godfrey 1986, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). This eastern species is becoming a regular vagrant to the western states and provinces (Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The Orchard Oriole has become an annual species in California and, as of 1973, is no longer a review species in the State (Hamilton et al. 2007). There are 8 accepted records for the Orchard Oriole for Oregon, 6 accepted records for Washington, 1 accepted record for Alaska and 7 records for British Columbia (Campbell et al. 2001, Wahl et al. 2005, West 2008, Heinl and Piston 2009, OFO 2012, WRBC 2012, Toochin et al. 2013). The Orchard Oriole occurs as a casual species in British Columbia with the likelihood of future records with more observer awareness and coverage.

Occurrence and Documentation

The Orchard Oriole is predominantly an eastern species that does wander into western North America (Dunn and Alderfer 2011). In California, the Orchard Oriole is a regular fall migrant in the State with earliest records starting in mid-July. This arrival date incredibly falls into the time frame when some early departing birds arrive on the wintering grounds (Hamilton et al. 2007). Most California records fall into the period from August 12 – December 22 (Hamilton et al. 2007). The numbers of Orchard Oriole records in the State peaks from late September through October (Hamilton et al. 2007). Spring records are rarer in the State with dates ranging from March 17 – early July (Hamilton et al. 2007). British Columbia’s records reflect similar timing as the California records (Toochin et al. 2013, please see Table 1). The three spring records for British Columbia occurred in late May which is similar timing to other eastern vagrants such as eastern warblers that occur in the late May early June time period in British Columbia (Toochin et al. 2013). In the fall, birds have occurred in British Columbia from August through to October which is when this species shows up in California (Hamilton et al. 2007, Toochin et al. 2013, please see Table 1). To date, all British Columbia records have been of single birds on their own or loosely associating with migrant passerine flocks. Orchard Oriole’s prefer open habitat such as orchards, shade trees and woodland edges that provide insects and fruit (Farrand 1983). They are often found in habitat where plants bear that form part of their diet (Farrand 1983, Sibley 2000, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). A female bird found by the author in Sooke on August 6, 2009 was found feeding in a plum tree (Toochin 2012a, please see Table 1). Another recent record of an adult female was found by the author at the Hope Airport on May 26, 2010 and was feeding in a mountain ash tree (Toochin 2012b, please see Table 1). The most recent record was of a female bird found by John Purves at the French Creek Marina in the Parksville area from September 3-5, 2010 (please see Table 1). It was incorrectly published in North American Birds as a male but instead was a female plumaged bird (Charlesworth 2011). In the future, known vagrant traps should be checked for this species and all fall Orioles should be given extra scrutiny by observers. Given this species regularity in California and increasing occurrence in Oregon and Washington, it is a good candidate to be found again in the future in British Columbia.

Table 1: British Columbia records of Orchard Oriole:

1.(1) immature male May 22, 1997: R.B. Weeden, and other observers: Northern Saltspring Island (Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2013)
2.(1) immature male May 30, 1997: W. Fletcher: Sidney near Victoria (Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2013)
3.(1) immature female October 10, 2003: Jukka Jantunen, Amelie Rousseau: Tower Point, near Victoria (Toochin et al. 2013)
4.(1) adult female August 6, 2007: Rick Toochin: Sooke (Toochin 2012a)
5.(1) immature October 3, 2009: Rich Mooney, and other observers: (photo) Tofino (Charleswort 2010, Toochin et al. 2013)
6.(1) adult female May 26, 2010: Rick Toochin: Hope Airport (Toochin 2012b)
7.(1) second year female September 3-5, 2010: John Purves, and other observers (photo) French Creek Marina, Parksville (Charlesworth 2011)

Hypothetical Records:

1.(1) adult singing male July 1965: R. D. Harris: Duck Lake, Creston (Harris et al. 1965, Butler et al. 1986)