A little Olive-backed Oriole had me intrigued for a while. I couldn’t see the bird, but I could hear a mixture of lyrical calls that seemed to come from a variety of birds. Eventually I tracked down the singer.

This looks like a young male bird. It has the dark head of a male, but its eyes are brown rather than red. It was lively and curious, hopping from branch to branch and examining its surrounds with evident interest. Or perhaps it was hungry and looking for food!

In this video, the oriole starts with a good preening session then launches into song. You can’t see the bird very well but you can hear its song:

Common name: Olive-backed Oriole
Scientific name: Oriolus sagittatus
Approximate length: 25-28 cm
Date spotted: 10 November 2020 (spring)
Location: Manly Dam Park, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’52.3″S 151°15’07.9″E