Posted by Vincent on May 06, 2003 at 22:24:13:
In Reply to: Spot-Breasted Oriole posted by Jeff on May 06, 2003 at 18:43:22:
Jeff et al:
For an interesting article about Spot-breasted Orioles in South Florida, see:
Publication: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine feature article
Title: An Exotic New Oriole Settles in Florida
Date: Feb. 1956
Pages: 260-264
Contributor(s): Brookfield, Charles M. Author
Griswold, Oliver Author
Subject(s): U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Birds
Orioles
Spotted-breasted orioles
Florida
Old National Geographics can usually be bought individually from "good" used book dealers. I have this article (somewhere) courtesy of Betty Furchgott but I can't find it at the moment.
Stevenson & Anderson in _ _ The Birdlife of Florida__ (P.685) state:
"On 26 Aug 1949, Miami, Charles Brookfield (1950: 12) et al. saw 3 unfamiliar orioles and identified them as (Lichtenstein's) Altamira Oriole, Icterus gularis. They had been seen but not identified by local residents much earlier, perhaps as early as Sep 1948. In early Sep 1949 a pr. was seen there feeding yg. (loc. cit.); apparently 2 or 3 broods were raised by a single pr. 1950 (Sprunt 1954d). In spring 1952 the cat mangled remains of a specimen was sent to the USNM when A.J. Duvall identified it as the Spot-breasted oriole, I. pectoralis." You can read more in Stevenson & Anderson if you wish.
I seem to remember from the National Geographic article that no one really knows for sure how these birds made their way to South Florida. A human introduction is probable but not the only plausible explanation. . . .