The Golden Oriole is a gloriously yellow summer migrant. Despite being so vibrant, it is surprisingly hard to see amongst the leaves of the trees. They prefer open broadleaf forests, copices and orchards, and are usually seen from April to the middle of June.
The Blackbird-sized male Golden Oriole has a striking bright yellow body with black wings and a black eye stripe. The female is a drabber green with a speckled back and white belly. They have a looping, thrush-like flight and their call is a harsh "kweeaahk", though their song is a lovely, fluty "weela-wee-ooo" which is unmistakeable once heard.
They feed on insects and berries using their bills to pick insects out of crevices. During their autumn migration, they go via the eastern Mediterranean where they will feed on fruit and are often considered a pest by Greek farmers.
Golden Orioles start breeding when they are two years old. Pairs may stay together from one season to the next, using the same nest site. The deep cup-shaped nest is placed high in a tree and built by mum, while dad supplies the materials. It is lined with grass, feathers or wool. The 3-5 eggs hatch after 15 days and are incubated and fed by both parents. The youngsters can fly 15 days later but rely on mum and dad for a further two weeks.
Very few pairs of Golden Orioles breed in Britain. The last confirmed breeding was in 2009 in East Anglia. A small number also pass through during migration in spring and autumn. The loss of suitable broadleaf woodlands might be why numbers have fallen. Overall, the worldwide population of Golden Orioles is stable.
Their Latin name is 'oriolus oriolus' where 'oriolus' and the English name 'Oriole' are derived from the Latin 'aureolus' meaning golden. In medieval England, it was called a 'woodwele' from its song.