The Tanimbar oriole is a species of bird in the family Oriolidae. It is endemic to the Tanimbar Islands.
Region
Maluku Islands
Typical Environment
Occurs across the Tanimbar Islands in lowland and coastal forests, wooded edges, and secondary growth. It primarily uses the mid- to upper canopy, moving deliberately through foliage to glean insects and pick fruits. The species tolerates degraded habitats and plantations if trees are present. It may visit village groves and forest margins, especially where fruiting trees are available.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 300 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Tanimbar oriole is confined to the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia and favors forest canopies where it forages methodically among foliage. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of closely related island orioles but is now widely recognized as a distinct species. Its mellow, fluty whistles often reveal its presence before it is seen. It adapts to secondary growth and edge habitats, which helps buffer it from some habitat change.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
strong direct flight with steady wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen alone or in pairs within well-defined territories. Pairs construct a neat, hanging cup nest slung in a forked branch high in the canopy. They are attentive parents, with both birds typically involved in provisioning the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of mellow, fluty whistles, often descending and repeated in short phrases. Calls include clear, ringing notes and harsher scolds when alarmed.
Plumage
Mostly olive-brown to dusky-olive above with paler, yellow-olive underparts and slightly warmer tones on the belly. The throat can appear a shade lighter, sometimes with faint, fine streaking. Wings and tail are darker with subtle olive edging.
Diet
Takes a mix of insects such as caterpillars, beetles, and orthopterans, gleaned from leaves and small branches. Also consumes soft fruits and figs, especially when seasonally abundant. May occasionally take nectar or small invertebrates flushed from foliage.
Preferred Environment
Forages mainly in the mid- to upper canopy of primary and secondary forest. Frequently visits edges, fruiting trees in village areas, and mixed agroforests where cover remains.
