Official City Bird: the Hooded Oriole

The hooded oriole has been designated as the official Tustin bird, joining the eucalyptus tree and the camellia flower as official symbols of the city.

The Tustin Pride Committee began researching a possible city bird last year and discovered that the type of oriole was noted as one of the most frequently spotted colorful birds in Tustin yards.

The birds have visited the area for many years, committee members said, and stop in Tustin from April to October, nesting and raising their young in palm trees.

The hooded oriole was chosen from a list of 33 birds by the committee, because its black and gold coloring is easy to spot, and it has an interesting song of whistles, trills and rattles.

The City Council recently voted unanimously to ratify the committee’s selection.