Altamira Oriole

Altamira Oriole

Icterus gularis

Silhouette: Matt Wilkins · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

972 Verified sightings at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve From 2019 to 2026
2,377 In all 15 parks
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Altamira Oriole

The Altamira oriole (Icterus gularis) is a New World oriole. The bird is widespread in subtropical lowlands of the Mexican Gulf Coast and northern Central America, the Pacific coast and inland. They have since spread to southern Texas, but this was not until 1939.

At 25 cm (9.8 in) and 56 g (2.0 oz), this is the largest oriole in genus Icterus. The bird nests in open woodland, with the nest being a very long woven pouch, attached to the end of a horizontal tree branch, sometimes to telephone wires.

This bird forages high in trees, sometimes in the undergrowth. They mainly eat insects and berries. These birds are permanent residents, and unlike the migratory orioles that breed in the US, the species is sexually monomorphic—both the males and the females have elaborate coloration and patterning.

Both males and females have a black mandible and throat, as well as a black back and long black tail. Wings are black, but the remiges and rectrices (flight feathers) are fringed with white. These form a single white wing bar and white wing spots when folded. The secondary coverts form orange epaulets. The underside is almost uniformly orange or yellowish-orange. In general,... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:42

Mexico · 2026

© Richard E. Webster · XC1183407 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song1:25

Mexico · 2024

© Étienne Leroy · XC956290 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Llamado y canto0:14

Mexico · 2006

© Antonio Celis Murillo · XC5557 · CC BY-NC-ND 2.5

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
2 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~30%
3 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
4 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
5 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
6 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
7 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
8 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
9 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
10 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
11 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
12 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
13 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
14 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
15 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 San Salvador 🇸🇻 El Salvador
~30%
2 San Pedro Sula 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
3 Tegucigalpa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
4 Guatemala City 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
5 Monterrey 🇲🇽 México
<5%
6 Managua 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%
7 Mexico City 🇲🇽 México
<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Xcaret 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Altamira Oriole in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report an Altamira Oriole sighting in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 972 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 18th most-seen of the 288 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Altamira Oriole in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

November to May

In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report an Altamira Oriole in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against about 20% in July and September, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Altamira Oriole?

Between 6 and 9 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Altamira 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.

Is Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve the best place to see an Altamira Oriole?

Yes

Of the 15 parks where we can rate Altamira Oriole sightings, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Celaque National Park (Honduras, about 30%) and Celestún Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 20%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the Altamira Oriole live in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?

Same genus: Icterus

The closest relatives of the Altamira Oriole that you can see in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (genus Icterus, New World Orioles) are Hooded Oriole (about 50%), Orange Oriole (about 40%) and Black-cowled Oriole (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Altamira Oriole sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Altamira Oriole is recorded against all the birds logged in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (972 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.

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