Green-headed Oriole Oriolus chlorocephalus Scientific name definitions

21·5–24 cm. Male nominate race has head and neck to upper breast rich olive-green, separated from olive-green upperparts by bright yellow hindneck and upper mantle; lower breast to undertail-coverts bright yellow, thighs tinged olive; upperwing dark grey, primaries and secondaries having light grey outer webs with whitish edges (forming pale panel on closed wing), primary coverts bluish-grey, secondary coverts olive-green; tail has outermost feathers almost entirely yellow, central pair olive-green, the rest with yellow tips, amount of yellow decreasing inwards; iris red; bill deep red to red-brown; legs light or dark bluish-grey. Female differs from male only in browner bill. Immature is like adult, but olive-green less intense, narrow ring of yellow feathers around eye; has mantle, chin and throat yellow-olive, breast dull yellow, mottled with olive, upper belly bright yellow with narrow olive streaks, secondaries edged and tipped white, primary coverts with broad white tips; bill blackish. Race <em>amani</em> differs from nominate only in smaller size; speculifer is same size as nominate, but has white tips on four primary coverts forming conspicuous white patch on closed wing.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Coastal forest patches in Kenya, up to 400 m. In Tanzania, primary lowland forest, rich woodlands and secondary growth with tall emergent trees, mainly between 200 m and 1000 m, but 1000–1300 m on Mt Nilo (E Usambaras). Primary submontane and riparian evergreen forests between 1000 m and 1450 m in Malawi and in C Mozambique (Mt Chiperone); primary evergreen montane forest at 750–2000 m on Mt Gorongosa, in S Mozambique, where sometimes in adjacent secondary forest and semi-open woodland.

Resident, but may wander locally; some records in Malawi up to 40 km from nearest known population.

Fruits, also some large hard seeds, and nectar; also various invertebrates, e.g. insects and their larvae. Forages alone or in pairs, from middle storey to canopy; sometimes in small groups in fruiting trees e.g. figs (Ficus) or in flowering trees, especially alien silky oak (Grevillea), where it is often found with O. larvatus. Sometimes joins mixed-species flocks.

Song  “ku-wee-oo”, “kwee-wo”, “hweet-tyoo-hweedo” or “who-jo-koyyo”, each phrase accompanied by quick fanning of tail, similar to that of O. larvatus but more liquid and less abrupt; also a simpler “cowoyo”. Calls include insistent nasal mewing, louder in middle and changing in tone, “quarreeeyaaa”.

In Malawi, pair formation in Jun, calling Aug–Feb (silent Mar–Jun), and egg-laying mainly Aug–Nov; in Tanzania, a well-grown nestling observed in Nov; in Mozambique, birds with enlarged gonads and brood patches in Oct, and breeding recorded in Nov. Nest a deep, open thick-walled cup, mostly of old-man’s beard lichen (Usnea) where available, also other plant fibres, suspended hammock-like in thin, horizontal forked branch high in well-foliaged tree canopy; territory 13–25 ha in Malawi. Clutch 2 eggs. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Fairly common to common in parts of its range of c. 22,000 km². Occurs in various protected areas, and considered therefore not at any immediate risk. In Kenya, local and uncommon in coastal forests of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve and Diani (unprotected), and locally fairly common in Jadini Forest in the Shimba Hills National Park. In Tanzania, common in Usambara Mts, and very common at Amani Nature Reserve. In Mozambique, common on Mt Gorongosa, with no evident change in numbers in recent times; incorporation of Mt Gorongosa into the adjoining Gorongosa National Park has been proposed. Less common in Malawi, where occurs at only four or five small localities, with estimated total of 55–60 pairs in 1983; continuing deforestation of remaining localities threatens the species’ survival in this country.