Shorty - The reason it was too big was because you didn’t delete my graphic from your reply.
Yes, I’m not the expert on these but yours look like an adult (probable) male and an immature possibly at the end of its first year. I don’t see why birds
of that age combination shouldn’t be wandering around together even if not paired and no dependency. We see it with eg Crimson Rosellas and BFCSs. g
From: shorty [
Sent: Thursday, 2 June 2016 4:44 PM
To: Geoffrey Dabb
Cc:
Subject: Re: FW: [canberrabirds] Olive-backed Oriole
I have to say that i am only going on what my P&K show me so will attach 2 pics.
First one is an adult taken on 30/5/16 in the shade, the second is what i am calling an immature taken on 28/5/16 in the sun.
Happy to be corrected if my understanding is incorrect.
On Thu, Jun 2, 2016 at 10:57 AM, Geoffrey Dabb <> wrote:
I believe there is a wide range of plumage variations among adults in the local subspecies. The
HANZAB account is not helpful and defies summarising. The illustrations are not good and fail to bring out the bill colour and fail to bring out the ‘Dayglo Green’ of an adult male in crisp plumage in sunlight.
In the below, 1 is such a view, unedited except for some lightening. The green can appear much duller
in shade (4). As the HANZAB text suggests wear of the plumage can make a large difference, obscuring the male/female distinction. Immatures are said to resemble immatures (and vice versa, for present purposes) . One male/female difference is streaking
on the throat and back (compare 1 and 4 with 5 - obviously a breeding adult) . First immatures are distinguished by much stronger markings and a pale eyebrow (3 below). Buffish (2) rather than vivid green tones are a less reliable guide, in my view.
Bill colour is also variable in adults but is said to be not fully attained ‘until c. 2 years old’.
From: Jack
& Andrea Holland [
Sent: Thursday, 2 June 2016 8:33 AM
To: shorty;
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Olive-backed Oriole
Thanks Shorty, while they do stay over in winter in small numbers, you’ve raised a couple of very interesting points,
1. I can’t ever recall seeing an oriole utilising our bird baths, perhaps because we don’t get many around my place
in Chapman though 1-2 were around this spring/early summer.
2. We haven’t had birds around in winter since well before the fires, but my experience is of single birds during this
time. It also does seem a long time after the breeding season for immatures still to be with their parents.
Does anyone have any similar experiences?
PS in what suburb is your garden?
Sent: Wednesday, June 1, 2016 5:12 PM
Subject: [canberrabirds] Olive-backed Oriole
G'day all,
I have just been reading the June edition of the Gang-Gang Newsletter and note the interest in Olive-backed Oriole.
For the last 5 years i have regular visits from them to my birdbath but have not kept notes so can only go off memory
and photos i have taken. Each year they bring their young ( Immature ) here also and it is always 2.
I would have to go through my archives to give a better analysis but that would take a long time so i will give my accounts
from photos i have on my FlickR.
July 21, 2012 Adult and Immature
June 9, 2014 Adult and Immature
May 31, 2015 Adult and Immature
May 28, 2016 Adult and Immature ( These are still around )
They are here most of the year but i tend not to be home much to see them.
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