I don’t know where these little yellow fellows go the rest of the year, but these days they’re in Golden Gate Park.
So if you see a flash of bright orangey-yellow up in the air, it very well could be a hooded oriole.
Here’s one at Golden Gate Park’s Stow Lake from a few years back. This male has a blush of orange as is typical for this time of year – they generally have more of a pure yellow color at other times:
Click to expand
(Or you might spot a similar-looking yellow-headed blackbird around town, but probably not.)
Look to the Skies for Signs and Wonders.
Tags: bird, black, black bird, blackbird, breeding, california, cucullatus, fan palm, golden gate park, head, hooded, Hooded Oriole, Icterus, male, New World, orange, oriole, ornamental, Palm, San Francisco, Stow lake, yellow, yellow headed
Watched close-up one large male visit my yard this morning in Los Altos! Have never seen one before. What a treat! 4/30/2010
The males are very vivid, huh….
I see a male regularly in the brush on my hill south of Sebastopol. Never seen one before and assumed it was someone’s lost house pet. Spectacular color! 5/7/10
Yes, they really stand out….
I saw one yesterday (5/15/10) in my backyard for only a few seconds before he left again. I’ve been here 23 years and he was the first. Such bright yellow! Beautiful bird.
Testify. They’re as brightly colored as parrots…
Forgot to say that I live in the extreme outer Richmond district (48th avenue) a block from Golden Gate Park and two blocks from the beach.
I live in Redding, CA and they have been building nest year after in my fan palm since 2004. I look forward to their return every spring.
There is a pair of hooded Orioles who’ve been nesting every spring behind my house in Terra Linda, San Rafael for the last three years. They are so fun to watch – I hear them calling to each other early in the morning and later in the day as they feed high up in the oak trees. They are quite vocal. I thought I saw a third one yesterday so I think the babies are out of the nest but I cant find their nest – we have quite a few palms in the neighborhood. Usually they feed quite high up in the trees but to my amazement, yesterday I saw them feeding (?playing) in my orange daylilies next to my front driveway.
I live in the foothills of Woodland Hills. I spotted a nest 3 weeks ago in one of my 75 foot fan palms. I can look at it almost directly out of my hillside home windows and have been watching the pair of hooded Orioles fly back and forth every minute to feed the babies this morning( can’t see the babies yet.) The male is not as bright as the one in S.F. so he must be young. They are very vocal, especailly the young when the adults come back to the nest. This has been a treat to watch them and discover their species.
I have what I think is a yellow hooded oriole coming to my back yard pond in West Los Angeles for the last month or so. I have 2 palm trees, in fact, I live in a neighborhood near Culver City called “Palms”. It looks exactly like the picture on this site. Didn’t see anything about size. This bird is not small, about the size of a jay. What an intense color, like a parrot.
A few have been spotted at the Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary in Tiburon. They have been hanging around the Sanctuary for several weeks now.
I had the pleasant surprise of seeing this bird today in the high branches of our neighbor’s yellow plum tree in Oakland/ Emeryville, Ca area. This bird chirped very similar to the squirrels in the area, so it was a great surprise when I noticed this bird vs a squirrel in the branches. Thank you for the posting on this sight. It was great to be able to find an answer to what the mystery bird was. Cheers!
thanks for this post, you helped me figure out what kind of bird this is that is chasing the scrub jays around in my garden here in San Francisco. I have never seen birds (other than maybe big crows) go after these jays before as they are pretty aggressive themselves!
I am seeing one of these at my hummingbird feeder in Morgan Hill, CA. We, too, thought it was someone’s lost pet. But, when I see it fly, it obviously is accustomed to the wild and flies like it knows its way around.
One observed this morning in our large North Berkeley back yard for about 10 minutes. Spectacular. He was very actively exploring in apricot, apple, fig, and orange trees after a brief exchange with a red squirrel in the fig tree. I do not recall seeing him here before.
Watched a pair eating blackberries off the hedge in my ard in Sonoma this afternoon. fabulous site.
We’ve been seeing a male and female around our yard for about 2 weeks and have been wondering what type of bird they are. We’re in Corte Madera. The neighbor kitty-corner from us has 2 large palm trees and I’m guessing that’s where the nest is. It has been a treat to watch them come around every day.
We have had at least one pair all summer at our hummingbird feeders. The kids seem to be flocking up, I counted 8 birds on 3 feeders this afternoon. I’m in the foothills east of San Jose.
Wow! What is that?! Just saw one happily hopping around in the trees outside my window. (The north side of Bernal Heights in SF.) Beautiful!
I live in Alamo on hills adjacent to Mt Diablo State Park and I have a pair (male and female) who visit my hummingbird feeders several times daily (I leave one bee guard off each feeder to allow larger birds to feed if they wish).
They first arrived in the area last year (I’ve lived in Alamo for 35 years and never seen them before on a regular basis) and are a nice addition.
We live in Chico (northern Sacramento valley) and have had 2 pairs of them feeding at our hummingbird feeders this summer. But in the last 3 days we have not seen them…hoping they are ok, perhaps on their way to Mexico.
We have a nest full of chicks in our yard near LAX SO CAL.
we have a pair that feeds out of our humming bird feeder every day. Thousand Oaks,Ca. So Cal Ventura County
I live in Winnetka, CA, very close to Chatsworth. Tow winters ago, a male stayed through the winter here, during which he was orange. In March of 2010 he turned yellow, and immediately acquired a mate. The pair visited our hummingbird feeder, and raised a brood of three. That same spring, a second pair nested in tall fan palm across the street, and they raised a brood of five. The parents usually accompany the fledglings to the feeder for a week or ten days, and then the young birds disappear. This year we have a single mated pair, who raised a first brood of three. Now they seem to be raising another brood (late July); the female is seldom seen, so I asume she is incubating more eggs. I have lots of pictures of “my” Orioles, most of them taken at our hummingbird feeder.
MY WIFE AND I WATCH THEM FROM OUR DEN EVERY EVENING. WE PUT A SMALL BOWL OF GRAPE JELLY OUT AND THEY LOVE IT . THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL. WE FILL THIS BOWL THREE TO FOUR TIMES A DAY. THEY JUST KEE COMING.
I live in San Luis Obispo and was just looking out my window to the east when I saw a large deep yellow bird with a long black tail, black on its neck and rear of it’s head, fly into a tree in the yard behind me, approx. 40-50 feet away. I was talking with someone on the phone and had to stop talking. It was an incredible sight. I’ve never seen a yellow bird that large here before. It stopped only for a moment in that tree and then took off behind another tree and I lost it. I ran to the computer and here I am. I think it was a hooded oriole. It certainly isn’t native to this area but it is a welcome visitor. I hope it comes back again.
I’ve got 2 of these Orioles at my hummingbird feeder (trying to figure it out) as I type in Scotts Valley CA, near Santa Cruz.
We have the most beautiful orioles in our back yard! There are two that keep returning and eating from our bird feeders.
When we lived in Missouri we had them as well, there they appear more orange than yellow.
They give you that WOW factor when you wake up and see them with all the other birds here in Nevada!
My wife and I just saw two of them in our back yard. An adult and a juvenile. It was our 1st time to see them here in the Pasadena area.
Just spotted one in my backyard in San Diego.
Just saw one in our yard in San Diego, Encinitas. very bright and active.
Just spotted one in my back yard in Palo Alto! Gorgeous, gorgeous bird.
there are two trying to get into my coach house .. and i am in so i’ve never seen them here before .. pretty birds
I just saw one of these in Riverside, CA. It was in the front yard, in a bird-of-paradise tree. Beautiful bird, but like one of the previous posters, I assumed it was an escaped pet.
I just saw one in my front yard in Miami, FL. Is it weird for them to be in Florida?
just saw 2 o the orioles birds in my back yard 1 was trying to get my back door thought some one lost them i’m in kentucky out side of louisville wow beautiful
Just had the pleasure to say hello to a yellow oriole! Noticed a different song outside my window this morning and had to take a look. Really a lovely sight. Outer Richmond of San Francisco-approx. 5 blocks north of Golden Gate Park
I saw 2 of these beautiful birds near Heartwell Park in Long Beach, CA
We live in Sand Diego and have a male and a female visit our hummingbird feeder several times a day.
We have a couple that have been coming to nest in our bannana trees and giant birds of paradise for the last 4 summers. they come back here to our yard in San Clemente every year and are so beautiful. as a bonus they pick the caterpillars off of our fruit trees to feed the babies
We have one that comes to our hummingbird feeder in Lincoln, California. It is breathtaking to see him.
I saw this one in my backyard. He was on a tree and I heard it singing. It has a very lovely tune.
I live in Ventura County
Saw one today in our backyard, south San Jose. Amazing bird.
One’s been visiting us 2 weeks straight in Chula Vista, CA, 10 mi S of San Diego.
Just saw one fly by our humming bird feeder in San Diego, CA. First time I’ve ever seen one.
Watched one today in my back yard in Carson, CA.
Somebody wrote that it eats blackberries; does it eat blueberries too (I have two blueberry bushes in my garden..)?
I just saw one land on my tree outside my home office in Northridge in the San Fernando Valley in Southern Cali. Beautiful!! I have never seen one! What a gift!
I have a pair that returns every year to bathe in my bird bath together. The male is spectacular. They are very shy and do not stay very long.
Spotted tonight in our backyard here in Oceanside. On our Kangaroo Paw plant and orange tree.
Just saw the most beautiful bird outside my office window yesterday morning. Lemon yellow with black wings. I am a former Michigander and have seen lots of birds in my time, but he was incredible! I live in Menifee where we typically see finches, sparrows, crows, ravens, doves, hawks and owls. Never anything as colorfull as these. Hope he, I’m assuming it’s a he, returns.
I live in scottsdale i have three that come and drink out of my hummingbird feeder thats stuck on my window.. they r absolutely beautiful. They live up in a palm tree. they r breathtaking. they love sugarwater!
I have one that keeps eating out of my Humming bird feeder. I have seen him three times in the last week.
I live in Newport Beach, back bay, and one took a bath in our fountain this morning. First time I’ve seen one here!
Just saw one in Campbell, CA so of course had to google–which brought me here. Hope he stays a while.
I live in San Ramon California. Just spotted my first this morning feeding out of my humming bird feeder. Perhaps this is the bird that removed half of the little plastic yellow flowers in my humming bird feeder. Sure made it easy for him to get to the “sauce”
The Humming birds just backed off when this beauty arrived at the feeder.
I live in Simi Valley, and we have at least 2 Male and 2 female Hooded Orioles raiding my hummingbird feeder everyday for the past two months.
Just saw one in Redwood City at our hummingbird feeder
We have had one of these in our back yard for months. We are in southern CA – Costa Mesa
Beautiful bird
Spotted one for the first time at my hummingbird feeder in Petaluma.
Beautiful mail and female together in backyard jn Lafayette,Ca
I spotted one in my yard in Santa Rosa, ca twice this week. I haven’t seen them before. They are so bright and beautiful
I live in Fountain Valley Ca 3 miles from the beach and I have a pair that comes to my hummingbird feeder every year. He is absolutely beautiful. No mistaking that he is the extremely hooded oriole. She is boring and a pea green but both very sweet. Yay for me they always come back. When he is in my grapefruit tree he is hard to see!
Just saw one in my backyard on San Carlos. Slid down the fronds of a palm tree!
We have a couple families of them down here in San Diego, Lakeside area. They LOVE the hummingbird feeders, quite entertaining to see the interaction between all the hummies and these guys. Very chattery bunch.
This evening a male landed in my tomato vines where he appeared to me looking for insects. He was exactly like the picture from SF area. He returned several times to search for more food. I saw one from a distance last summer but this year the tomato plants were very attractive to him so we got a real close up view. I saw a small green worm on the plants yesterday so I welcome all the help I can get from him.
Poway, San Diego. Saw two in nest in backyard trying to take baby hummingbird from nest. Hummingbird fed baby later.
Think I saw one in my back yard. This is closest to what it looked like, defintely was not a goldfinch or a yellow headed blackbird. Body was yellow, like this one. Been in this house for 18 years here in Central Phoenix. First time I’ve seen one.
We have them here in south central New Mexico!
We saw a yellow hooded oriole in our back yard in our back yard eating off of a liliac bush in the Carol Stream, Illinois area. We looked at several other birds that look like it but none compared to the picture I took.
It is a very beautiful bird.
I live in San Diego (Rancho Penesquitos area) and have had one, the last couple of days, drinking out of my hummingbird feeders. It looks exactly like this picture so I’m guessing it’s an oriole. It’s beautiful but shouldn’t they be eating seeds or bugs instead of sneaking a drink from the hummingbird feeders? It’s kind of funny though.
I think I saw one last week at my birdbath. I’m in Arnold, Ca. Fairly close to Yosemite. He was breathtaking!
Awesome pictures of the Yellow hooded oriole. We have year round yellow hooded orioles that live at our Loreto Hotel in Baja California Sur, La Damiana Inn. We have a tough time taking pictures of them, because they are so smart. Keeps them from becoming cat food. They never used to stay year round, but since we added the compost pile, they have lots of larvea to munch on. Thanks for the bird watching photos. Love Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Debora
I’ve seen a couple of these visit my back yard for the past week or two… Just beautiful… Burbank, CA
I had one of these in my yard today drinking from the Hummingbird feeder and playing in the trees. I live in the Sonaran Desert in souther Arizona and have never seen one before. He let me take many pictures of him. What color, what beauty
We’ve had a pair here in Hollywood . . . except it’s Hollywood FL
!
Soooo beautiful.
I just saw one of these brightly colored birds on my hummingbird feeder drinking. I was so surprised to see a regular sized bird drinking from the hummingbird feeder! I had to look it up to see what type of bird it was. I have never seen one before. I live in Woodland Hills, CA. Thanks for posting this photo so I could identify it!!
I had just noticed a male and female last summer and they have came back – they love my humminird feeder – my pooep hummingbird dont know what to think being they have been the dominant the few years and all the sudden the oriole shows up – they are beautiful birds – hope see some babies – I have put out friut but the hummungbird feeder takes the winner! I have lived her in the desert for over 10 years and never seen these birds until now!
I just saw a male in my mandarin orange tree right here in Hollywood, CA. I’ve never seen a yellow one before. So cool and so pretty!!
Palm Springs Here! Beautiful Bird standing and feeding on the birdfeeder. Did not know these birds came to the desert.
I had 2 females and 1 male yellow hooded orieol try to drink out of my humming bird feeder this morning!! So amazing!! I live in diamond bar ca
While washing dishes 2 days ago one landed on our jeep rack outside. I have never seen one before I was so stunned i called my son over to so he could see i wasnt crazy. So Beautiful! Yellow with black mask and yellow and black band on wings, black legs and beak. We are in Chula Vista CA around 3rd ave. we do have wild blackberries in our yard and alot of humming birds/feeders too. We have alot of colorful birds here but that was the 1st time I’ve seen one of these.
My 6 yr old daughter spotted a male and female at our home in SF yesterday and was so excited. I’ve been in SF for 25 years and have never seen the male. Beautiful bird! I can’t wait to tell her what kind of bird it is/
They certainly are striking.
April 2013 San Clemente, Ca.: have a pair out singing and carrying on, like birds have a want to
at this time of year. The male is striking, female not so much. Their song is
not as beautiful as the male’s plumage.
Valencia just outside L.A. 4/23/13
Saw nice pair in cactus garden . Have never seen one before .
Beautiful vibrant, just had to find what type of birds they are.
We are seeing what seems to be yellow hooded orieole visiting our hummingbird feeder in our front yard, about 1 mile north of Palm Springs, CA. Really unique and beautiful.
Got 2 of these on my hummingbird feeder in Sunland, CA, not far from Valencia!
….Could also be regular “hooded orioles” rather than “extremely hooded.” I’ll have to get another look at the neck and get back to y’all.
Anyway, nice to have a little piece of SF in my yard!
I just saw one today in redding drinking from my mango popcicle plants
saw one on my hummingbird feeder 5-1-13 . . . what a beautiful bird . . . Chula Vista, CA
Just spotted one in my Oak trees in Tiburon.
This weekend I saw two different males in San Luis Obispo, CA near Tank Farm Rd. My lady says that they have been drinking at her hummingbird feeder for about 20 years so this generation is not shy.
Just knocked my socks off, they were so vivid and large!
I have seen one on my hummingbird feeder in Yucca Valley CA. Beautiful bird.
Today I saw one of these extraordinarily colorful birds. I’m in South Orange County, Laguna Beach. It appeared to be enjoying my Hummingbird feeder. This is the largest bird I have ever seen on the feeder. Somewhat surprising!
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I live Santee, a suburb of San Diego. I believe I have seen a male twice in my yard.
They are so quick, I am not sure. But what I am seeing is a vibrant yellow, not dull at all.