The green oriole or Australasian yellow oriole (''Oriolus flavocinctus'') is an inconspicuous inhabitant of lush

tropical vegetation Tropical vegetation is any vegetation in tropical latitudes. Plant life that occurs in climates that are warm year-round is in general more biologically diverse that in other latitudes. Some tropical areas may receive abundant rain the whole ye ...

throughout Australia and

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...

Taxonomy and systematics

Alternate names for the green oriole include the Australian yellow oriole, yellow oriole and yellow-bellied oriole.

Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized: * ''O. f. migrator'' -

Hartert Ernst Johann Otto Hartert (29 October 1859 – 11 November 1933) was a widely published German ornithologist. Life and career Hartert was born in Hamburg, Germany on 29 October 1859. In July 1891, he married the illustrator Claudia Bernadine E ...

, 1904: Found in eastern Lesser Sundas * ''O. f. muelleri'' - ( Bonaparte, 1850): Originally described as a separate species. Found in south-central New Guinea * ''O. f. flavocinctus'' - ( King, P.P., 1826): Found in northern Australia * ''O. f. tiwi'' - Schodde & Mason, IJ, 1999: Found on Bathurst and Melville Islands (off northern Australia) * ''O. f. flavotinctus'' - Schodde & Mason, IJ, 1999: Found on

Cape York Peninsula Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupació ...

(north-eastern Australia) * ''O. f. kingi'' - Mathews, 1912: Found in north-eastern

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

(north-eastern Australia)

Distribution and habitat

They are often difficult to locate, as their yellow-green plumage blends with the foliage and only their deep bubbling musical calls can be heard. They are nevertheless common in suitable habitat: rainforests,

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in severa ...

s, thickets along watercourses, swamps, and lush gardens.

Behaviour and ecology

Breeding

Breeding takes place during the wet season (October to March). A neat, deep cup is constructed from strips of bark and vines, lined with rootlets, and slung between leafy branches, usually 5-15 m up. They typically lay two eggs.

Food and feeding

Green orioles forage slowly and methodically through the middle and upper strata of dense forests, taking fruit in the main. Typically alone or in pairs, they sometimes form small flocks in the nonbreeding season.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q603910 green oriole green oriole Birds of the Aru Islands Birds of New Guinea Birds of the Northern Territory Birds of Cape York Peninsula green oriole green oriole