Scott's Oriole

I saw the Scott's oriole at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary near the Huachuca Mountains in southeastern Arizona on May 31, 2026. When my guide, Jake Thompson, mentioned it, it took me awhile to register it was an oriole I'd not seen before. I only saw females, no males. The name comes from General Winfield Scott in the Mexican war. It is sometimes referred to as the mountain or desert oriole and it is both. It is most commonly found in elevated, arid habitats, particularly desert-facing slopes of mountain, or semiarid plains between mountain ranges, which describes the area I was in in Ash Canyon. 

Illustration of a female from Birds of the World. 

Illustration of a male from Birds of the World. 

Range from Birds of the World. I was surprised to see it so close to home. I asked AI where best to find it locally for me and it suggested Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, Covington Park which is next door to it, Joshua Tree NP in areas like Black Rock Campground because they breed in Joshua tree and yucca shrublands, and desert-facing slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains at mid-elevations in pinyon/juniper woodlands such as around Phelan and Pinon Hills.