Name:Oriolus mellianus
Alias:Oriolus mellianus,Silver Oriole,Magpie oriole, magpie-colored oriole, magpie-colored oriole
Outline:Songbird
Family:Passeriformes Songbirds Orioleidae G.Oriole
length:23-26cm
Weight:75-82g
Life:8-10years
IUCN:LC
Silver Oriole, a medium-sized songbird, is a single species with no subspecies differentiation. It was once a subspecies of the red oriole.
Silver Oriole is a summer migratory bird. Arboreal, often moving alone or in pairs, sometimes seen in loose groups of 3-5. Mainly active in the canopy of tall trees, rarely coming down to the ground. During the breeding period, it likes to hide in the branches and leaves of the canopy and sing. The song is crisp and melodious, rich in elasticity, and can change the tone and imitate the songs of other birds. It sings most frequently in the early morning, sometimes singing while flying, and the flight is in a wave-like manner. It flies between branches to feed on insects, berries, etc. It migrates to the breeding area in April every year. Most of the male birds appear first and mate soon. The song is loud and varied. The main food is insects, such as adults and larvae of Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and mantises. It also eats plant fruits and seeds. The flying posture is in a straight line.
Magpie oriole migrates in April and leaves the breeding ground in August-September. The male bird sings crisp and pleasant during the breeding season. The bird builds a hanging nest at the base of the horizontal branches of a tall tree. The male and female use bark, hemp fiber, grass stems, etc. to weave a hanging basket-shaped nest between the horizontal branches. Each nest lays 4-5 eggs, and the egg shells are shiny. The female bird incubates the eggs, and the incubation period of the eggs is 13-15 days; the two sexes are responsible for raising the chicks, and the chicks stay in the nest for 14-15 days; the chicks still need to be cared for by their parents for about 15 days after leaving the nest.
The distribution range of the Magpie Oriole is narrow and limited, and it is believed that there is a trend of moderate population decline. The decline is due to habitat loss, reduced precipitation, tourism impact, and road development, which have caused changes in the living environment. It has been listed as an endangered species.
Listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016 ver 3.1 - Endangered (EN).
Listed in China's National List of Key Protected Wildlife (February 5, 2021) Level 2.
Protect wildlife and eliminate game.
Maintaining ecological balance is everyone's responsibility!