From the Brush Pile...

A little bit of confusion for your day! What's yellow all over but not a warbler? What has two wing bars but not a flycatcher? We banded two hatch year ORORs or Orchard Orioles today which gave us a run for the money, to say the least! Pictured here are the female and male orioles in juvenal plumage that had us thinking...

This species is the smallest North American oriole and begin fall migration as early as mid-July. In contrast to Baltimore Orioles, which begin molting on the breeding grounds, Orchards usually begin first pre-basic molt on wintering grounds. Aside from size, female and juvenile birds can be distinguished from Baltimores by lack of orangish coloring and from Hooded Orioles by the presence of two wing bars.