Oriolus larvatus
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The black-headed oriole (Oriolus larvatus) is a species of bird in the family Oriolidae. It is found in Africa and has a very striking appearance with a bright yellow body, contrasting black head and flesh-coloured beak.
Some authorities have considered the mountain oriole to be a subspecies of the black-headed oriole. Alternate names for the black-headed oriole include the African black-headed oriole, Eastern black-headed oriole and Eastern oriole.
Five subspecies are recognised: Oriolus larvatus rolleti – Salvadori, 1864: Originally described as a separate species. Found from southern Sudan and southern Ethiopia to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and central Kenya
Oriolus larvatus reichenowi – Zedlitz, 1916: Found from Somalia to eastern Tanzania Kenya black-headed oriole or tropical blackhead oriole (Oriolus larvatus angolensis) – Neumann, 1905: Found from Angola and Namibia to western Tanzania and northern Mozambique
Oriolus larvatus tibicen – Lawson, 1962: Found from coastal southern Tanzania to coastal southern Mozambique Southern black-headed oriole (Oriolus larvatus larvatus) – Lichtenstein, MHK, 1823: Found from southern... Wikipedia →
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-headed Oriole sighting in Durban on a given day, based on 75 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 83rd most-seen of the 219 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-headed Oriole in Durban on a given day, against under 5% in March–April and October, the lowest months. That is one of Durban's wettest months, with about 210 mm of rain against 25 mm in June.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-headed Oriole sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 7 cities where we can rate Black-headed Oriole sightings, Durban ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Harare (Zimbabwe, about 10%) and Lusaka (Zambia, about 10%).
Same order: Passeriformes
The closest relatives of the Black-headed Oriole that you can see in Durban (order Passeriformes, Perching Birds) are Common Bulbul (about 70%), Red-winged Starling (about 70%) and House Sparrow (about 70%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-headed Oriole is recorded against all the birds logged in Durban (75 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
