Black-naped Oriole - BirdForum Opus

Photo © by Romy Ocon
The Philippines, March 2005

Oriolus chinensis

Identification

23–28 cm (9-11 in)
Male

Bright golden-yellow plumage
Black mask extending to nape
Black and yellow wings and tail

Immature
Photo © by linesiam
Bangkok, Thailand, April 2009

Pink bill
Grey feet
Red iris

Female: duller, greenish-yellow mantle.
Juvenile: whitish underparts, blackish streaks on breast, grey bill, lacks nape band.

Distribution

From India east over Indochina to the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and eastern China.

Taxonomy

The Slender-billed Oriole was considered to be conspecific but is now widely accepted as full species, including the subspecies invisus from southern Vietnam, formerly placed in Black-naped Oriole. Many Black-naped Oriole subspecies probably deserve full species status since there are 9 deeply (genetically) divergent lineages [3] (indicated against subspecies below).

Subspecies

(sub)species celebensis, "Sulawesi Golden Oriole". Photo © by THE_FERN. Lake Tambing, Lore Lindu, Indonesia, July 2023

Flight view
Photo © by kelvinyam
Putrajaya Wetland, Malaysia, April 2009

Up to 20 subspecies are accepted [1]:

O. c. diffusus: "Chinese Golden Oriole". Eastern Asia; winters to India, Malaysia and Indochina
O. c. andamanensis: Andaman Islands
O. c. macrourus: Nicobar Islands
O. c. chinensis: "Philippine Golden Oriole". Philippine Islands
O. c. suluensis: "Philippine Golden Oriole". Sulu Archipelago
O. c. yamamurae: "Philippine Golden Oriole". Central and southern Philippines (Tablas, Panay, Romblon, Sibuyan, Masbate, and Samar south to Mindanao)
O. c. melanisticus: "Celebes Sea Golden Oriole". Talaud Islands (Karakelong and Salebabu)
O. c. sangirensis: "Celebes Sea Golden Oriole". Sangihe and Tabuken islands (off northern Sulawesi)
O. c. formosus: "Celebes Sea Golden Oriole". Siau, Tahulandang, Ruang, Biaro and Mayu island (off Sulawesi)
O. c. celebensis: "Sulawesi Golden Oriole". Sulawesi, Bangka, Talisei, Lembeh, Togian Islands, Muna, Butung
O. c. frontalis: "Sula Golden Oriole". Banggai and Sula islands (off Sulawesi)
O. c. boneratensis: "Flores Sea Golden Oriole". Tanahjampea, Bonerate, Lalaotoa, Madu and Kayuadi isla
O. c. broderipi: "Tenggara Golden Oriole". Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumba, Sumbawa, Flores, Bisar, Alor)
O. c. richmondi: "Sunda Golden Oriole". Siberut and Pagi islands (off Sumatra)
O. c. maculatus: "Sunda Golden Oriole". Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Bali, Belitung and Nias islands
O. c. mundus: "Sunda Golden Oriole". Simeulue Island (off Sumatra)
O. c. sipora: "Sunda Golden Oriole". Sipura Island (off Sumatra)
O. c. insularis: "Sunda Golden Oriole". Kangean Islands (Java Sea)

Habitat

Coastal woodlands and mangroves, farmland, parks and gardens, to 1600m.

Behaviour

Diet

Omnivorous, figs form a large part of their diet, along with fruit and berries. They also eat large insects, small animals and nestlings.

Breeding

A cup-shaped nest is made from bark, small twigs, grass and roots. The clutch consists of two to three bluish-white eggs with brown spots which are incubated for about 14 days.

References

Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Andamanbirdwatching
Eaton, J.A.. van Balen, B. Brickle, N.W., B Rheindk F.E. (2021). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago, Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions. Barcelona. Second Edition

List of references

Recommended Citation

BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Black-naped Oriole. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-naped_Oriole

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