Eurasian Golden Oriole

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Eurasian Golden Oriole in the UK

Golden Oriole is now a scarce passage migrant in Britain. Small numbers overshoot from the Continent each spring, mainly from late April to mid June, with far fewer in autumn. It used to breed: a small population nested in poplar plantations in the East Anglian Fens, but it had dwindled to four pairs by 2005 and the last confirmed breeding was in 2009. It is now regarded as lost as a British breeding bird. Singing males still appear in suitable woods in some springs. It remains on Schedule 1, so any future breeding attempt is legally protected from disturbance.

Where and when to see a Eurasian Golden Oriole

May is the month. The Isles of Scilly and west Cornwall see the most, followed by south coast headlands such as Portland and Dungeness and the coasts of Kent and East Anglia. Birds arrive on warm southerly winds, sing from tall trees early in the morning and often move on within a day. RSPB Lakenheath Fen, on the Suffolk and Norfolk border, was the best-known breeding site and still gets an occasional singing bird in its poplars, but it is no longer reliable. Listen first, then watch for birds crossing gaps in the canopy.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Mature broadleaf woodland.
Diet: Insects, fruit.
Field note: Fluty whistled song; secretive.

How to identify a Eurasian Golden Oriole

About Blackbird size, slim and thrush-shaped, with a strong pinkish-red bill. The adult male is bright yellow with black wings and a black tail with yellow corners. Females and first-year males are green above and whitish below with fine dark streaks, and yellower on the flanks and rump. For all the colour it is hard to see, because it keeps inside the leafy canopy. Flight is fast and undulating, ending with an upward sweep into cover, and can recall a Green Woodpecker or a Mistle Thrush.

Call and song

The song is a loud, fluting whistle of three or four notes, often written 'weela-weeo'. It sounds tropical and carries a long way. The call is very different: a harsh screech, like a Jay or an angry cat. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Green Woodpecker: Green Woodpecker shows a yellow rump on a green body in undulating flight, but has a red crown, a heavier build and lands on trunks or the ground.
• Blackbird: A Blackbird's rich whistles can suggest an oriole for a second, but they run on into longer, varied phrases with a scratchy ending.

Related guide Bird migration in Britain.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Eurasian Golden Oriole is a Rare tier bird, worth +8 points when you log one. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.

Where to see it

Reserves where the Eurasian Golden Oriole is on the list:

• Isles of Scilly

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• European Honey BuzzardRare · Mature woodland (summer)
• Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerRare · Mature deciduous woodland
• HawfinchUncommon · Mature woodland (rare)
• Marsh TitUncommon · Mature deciduous woodland
• Northern ParulaLegendary · Mature woodland (vagrant)
• NuthatchCommon · Mature deciduous woodland

Eurasian Golden Oriole: quick answers

Is the Golden Oriole rare in the UK?

Yes. Fewer than a hundred are reported in a typical year, and most are brief coastal migrants in spring. The breeding population in the Fens faded out by 2009, so there is now no site where you can expect one through the summer.

When is the best time to see Golden Oriole?

The second half of May, during spells of warm southerly or south-easterly wind. Go out at first light, when males sing most. By mid morning they often fall silent and are close to impossible to find.

What does a Golden Oriole eat?

Large insects, especially caterpillars, taken from the foliage of tall trees. From midsummer it switches to fruit such as cherries and figs, and it feeds heavily on fruit on migration around the Mediterranean.

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