Oriolidae

Oriolidae is a small family of passerine birds comprising two widely recognized genera: Oriolus, the true orioles, and Sphecotheres, the figbirds. The group contains roughly a dozen species and is distributed across the Old World, with orioles found from Africa and Europe through Asia to Australia, and figbirds focused in Australasia and nearby islands. Members are typically arboreal and inhabit forests, woodlands, and forest edges.

In appearance, true orioles (Oriolus) are usually medium-sized with bright underparts—often yellow or orange—contrasting with greener, olive, or brown upperparts. Figbirds (Sphecotheres) tend to be larger and darker, with plumage that ranges from olive to blackish and may show iridescent or contrasting tones in some species. Both groups are adapted for a fruit- and insect-based diet and are often seen foraging in trees and along edges.

Behaviorally, oriolids are generally shy and highly arboreal, moving through foliage while gleaning insects and consuming ripe fruit. They are territorial during the breeding season and often form small family groups outside it. Breeding typically involves cup-shaped nests placed high in trees, with both parents participating in feeding the young in many species.

Conservation status varies by species and region. While many Oriolus and Sphecotheres taxa remain locally common, habitat loss, fragmentation, and island-endemic risks have caused declines in some populations. The family is of interest for studies of fruit-frugivory, vocalizations, and plumage variation across tropical and subtropical forests.