Superorder Neoaves Superfamily Corvoidea Scientific name Oriolus Phylum Chordata Order Passerine | Infraclass Neognathae Suborder Passeri Family Oriolidae Rank Genus Subclass Modern birds | |
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Lower classifications Eurasian golden oriole, Black‑naped oriole, Black‑hooded oriole, Maroon oriole, Indian golden oriole | ||
Orioles are colourful Old World passerine birds in the genus Oriolus, the namesake of the corvoidean family Oriolidae. They are not related to the New World orioles, which are icterids (family Icteridae) and belong to the superfamily Passeroidea.
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Taxonomy and systematics
The name "oriole" was first used in the 18th century and is an adaptation of the scientific Latin genus name, previously a species name for Eurasian golden oriole, which is derived from the Classical Latin "aureolus" meaning golden. Various forms of "oriole" have existed in Romance languages since the 12th and 13th centuries.
Species
Twenty-nine species are recognized:
Former species
Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Oriolus:
Distribution and Habitat
The orioles are a mainly tropical group, although one species, the Eurasian golden oriole, breeds in temperate regions.