Oriole and figbird
The Oriole and Figbird are two groups of birds belonging to the family Oriolidae, which are primarily found across the Old World, encompassing regions in Africa, Asia, and Australasia. Although closely related, they exhibit significant differences in appearance and behavior. Orioles are generally brightly colored, often featuring yellow and black plumage, while figbirds display more subdued tones of olive green and gray, with males having distinctive bare red skin around their eyes. Both groups build nests in trees but differ in construction; orioles weave sturdy, cup-shaped nests, while figbirds create shallower, less robust nests.
In terms of diet, both birds feed on fruits and insects, with orioles being more adaptable in foraging behavior, sometimes foraging on the ground. They are known for their vocalizations, with orioles producing smooth, melodious calls and figbirds characterized by their chattering sounds. Reproductively, both species lay similarly colored eggs, with incubation periods ranging from 16 to 18 days. Lifespans vary among species but can range from a few years up to 14 years. Overall, while orioles and figbirds share familial ties, they have distinctive traits that set them apart, appealing to birdwatchers and enthusiasts alike.
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Oriole and figbird
Although the few species of figbirds do not appear to have much in common with the greater number of orioles, they are in the same family, and their eggs are very much alike. The orioles in this family all live in the old world continents and are not to be confused with the several orioles in the new world of the family Icteridae, the American blackbirds.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Oriolidae
Genus: Various (see below)
Species: Various (see below)
Three species of figbirds belong to the genus Sphecotheres. Four species of piopios were added to this family in 2011 in their own genus, Pitohui. The family's largest genus, Oriolus, contains more than 30 oriole species.
Most species of orioles and figbirds inhabit the eastern quarter of the family's range, which spans Africa, Asia, the Philippines, Malaysia, New Guinea, and Australia. One species lives in Europe. The greatest number of over 40 species live in New Guinea and Indonesia. These oriole species differ from those of the Icteridae family, or the family of American blackbirds, which live only in North and South America.
High in the woodland and forest trees the orioles neatly weave deep, open, cup-shaped baskets of fine grass and lichens. Some species nest inside trees or closer to the trunk rather than at the branches' ends. Some of the nests are camouflaged by material hanging from the nests. Figbirds also build nests in the trees in these same habitats. Their nests are shallow and less sturdy, woven of twigs and grass, and placed in forks higher in the canopy or near the edges of the branches. As they fly swiftly from and return to their nests, orioles utter smooth, clear, growling, or bleating calls. Some are mimics and imitate other birds' sounds. Figbirds are slower in flight but have unusual chattering calls.
The name Oriole likely comes from the Latin word aureolus, which means made of gold or golden. True to their name, orioles are chiefly yellow or yellow and black, particularly those in Africa. Some may have olive-green plumage. Some are crimson-red and black, like some Australasian species. Other species in these areas are black and chestnut or yellow and green. With a few exceptions, males are brighter than females and have some streaks in their plumage. Figbirds have dull olive green, gray, and yellow plumage (feathering). Males have bare, red skin around their eyes. Both figbirds and orioles are between 8 and 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) long and weigh only two to three ounces (70 grams).
The short, slightly downward-curving bills of orioles and short, stout, hook-tipped bills of figbirds snatch fruit and insects from trees. Two oriole species extend their meal table to the ground and grass, where they find fallen fruit and insects. Single orioles fly up to one mile (1 1/2 kilometers) between food sources.
Orioles often live alone, but some live in pairs or small family groups. Some forage in flocks of other oriole species or with other birds. Figbirds commonly live in small flocks or parties, even with other orioles.
Although figbirds and orioles are in the same family, they have little in common. One feature they do share is their eggs. Females of both birds lay apple-red to dull olive-green eggs with red, purple-red, or brown-purple and brown markings. Orioles lay two to four, and figbirds usually lay three eggs. Incubation is around 16 to 18 days, and both parents warm the eggs with their bodies. After hatching, the young remain in the nest for 17 to 20 days. Orioles are monogamous, or mate with one partner for life.
Orioles and figbirds’ lifespans depend on the species. Some live for 3 years, but others can live up to 14 years.
Species include:
African golden oriole Oriolus auratus
Australasian figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti
Black-headed oriole Oriolus larvatus
Black-naped oriole Oriolus chinensis
Black oriole Oriolus hosii
Black-winged oriole Oriolus nigripennis
Eurasian Golden oriole Oriolus oriolus
Green figbird Sphecotheres viridis
Green-headed oriole Oriolus chlorocephalus
Maroon oriole Oriolus traillii
Wetar figbird Sphecotheres hypoleucus
Bibliography
"Figbird." Australian Museum, 8 Jan. 2022, australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/figbird. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"Oriolidae - Old World Orioles, Figbirds." PBS, nhpbs.org/wild/Oriolidae.asp. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Winkler, D. W., et al. "Old World Orioles (Oriolidae)." Birds of the World, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2020, birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/orioli1/cur/introduction. Accessed 1 May 2024.