Oriole

Oriole

We are delighted that Martina and Marita Malek have taken on the sponsorship of the oriole (Oriolus oriolus).

Orioles only spend the breeding season between April and August either in this country or in other regions of Europe and Central Asia or Northern India. Here in Central Europe, however, the species is not very common anywhere, even in summer. What's more, orioles are mainly found - well hidden from human view - in the canopy of various forests or parks. The fact that they are nevertheless one of the better-known breeding birds in this country is certainly due to their striking appearance: such stately (up to 25 cm body length) and above all colourful birds as the black and yellow oriole males, but also the yellow-green feathered females, to which our "godchild" belongs, are only rarely seen in our latitudes.

Orioles migrate from their breeding grounds to Africa for the winter. The wintering grounds there are often located in the tropical rainforests, where the birds can also be found high up in the treetops. "Our" oriole is therefore, so to speak, a mediator between the Central European habitats and the African rainforests.

Incidentally, the oriole is the namesake of probably the most famous German humourist: Vicco von Bülow chose the French name "Loriot" as his stage name. This is because the heraldic animal of the von Bülows is the oriole - allegedly because of the male's similar-sounding call "büloo-büloo".