Bullock's Oriole
Bullock's Oriole has surged: up 164% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Bullock's Oriole
The Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) is a North American member of the Blackbirds & Orioles (Icteridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 6.5–17 in long (16–43 cm) — a small to medium songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 1,195 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 17 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Icteridae · Forest birds
Notable Bullock's Oriole Trends
Bullock's Oriole has surged in surveyed states: up 164% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
Bullock's Oriole Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Bullock's Oriole is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.73 (95% range 0.38–1.1). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±22.8%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.73 | 0.38 | 1.1 |
| 2026 | 0.73 | 0.38 | 1.1 |
| 2027 | 0.73 | 0.38 | 1.1 |
| 2028 | 0.73 | 0.38 | 1.1 |
| 2029 | 0.73 | 0.38 | 1.1 |
Where the Bullock's Oriole Is Detected
BBS routes recording Bullock's Oriole, sized by most recent count.
Bullock's Oriole Population Trend by State
| Arizona | +175% | 1970 | 64 |
| California | -44% | 1970 | 219 |
| Colorado | +121% | 1970 | 119 |
| Idaho | +58% | 1970 | 47 |
| Kansas | -41% | 1971 | 14 |
| Montana | +47% | 1970 | 79 |
| Nebraska | +36% | 1973 | 16 |
| Nevada | +42% | 1970 | 43 |
| New Mexico | +91% | 1970 | 76 |
| North Dakota | +36% | 1987 | 10 |
| Oklahoma | +18% | 1969 | 21 |
| Oregon | -8% | 1970 | 89 |
| South Dakota | +394% | 1970 | 23 |
| Texas | +10% | 1969 | 143 |
| Utah | +283% | 1970 | 71 |
| Washington | -4% | 1970 | 82 |
| Wyoming | +35% | 1970 | 79 |
Bullock's Oriole Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -54% | 1970 | 72 |
| Great Basin | +16% | 1970 | 212 |
| Northern Rockies | +21% | 1970 | 130 |
| Prairie Potholes | +103% | 1983 | 13 |
| Sierra Nevada | -71% | 1971 | 25 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | +101% | 1970 | 149 |
| Badlands and Prairies | +461% | 1969 | 94 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | +83% | 1969 | 126 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | -5% | 1969 | 54 |
| Edwards Plateau | -76% | 1976 | 13 |
| Oaks and Prairies | +9% | 1969 | 23 |
| Coastal California | -37% | 1970 | 112 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | -51% | 1970 | 67 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | +85% | 1971 | 28 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | +429% | 1970 | 45 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | +64% | 1969 | 26 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | +81% | 2002 | 6 |
Bullock's Oriole Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 164% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.