Posted by Gary Villa on January 01, 1970 at 00:00:00
I live near downtown Fort Lauderdale, and we've consistently had significant numbers of Spot-breasted Orioles here for the 18 years I've been here. I haven't noticed any decrease in numbers at all. The one thing that I have noticed over the last two years, though, is what looks like Altamira Orioles instead. I get Orioles visiting a feeder just 5 feet from my kitchen window multiple times a day, and the last two years I've noticed that many of them completely lack any spots on the breast. These aren't just juvenile birds either. This past spring we had a pair nest and raise a chick nearby, and when it fledged, the three of them would visit the feeder together. The juvenile was bright yellow, rather than the brilliant orange of the adults, but all three were completely spotless. These birds now seem to be more common visitors to my yard than those with spots on the breast.