It wasn't until 2010 that all four birds were again elevated to full species status based on a combination of evidence from DNA, plumage and song differences.

[2][3] Since it was not recognized as a distinct species for so long, the Bahama oriole's preferred non-breeding season habitat is unknown and current estimates of its exact numbers remain vague.

The adult male and females are mostly black with yellow underparts, ranging from the mid-breast to the vent, thighs, rump, and lower back.

)[11] More recently the Bahama oriole has been recorded nesting in many other tree species including other native palms (Sabal palmetto, Coccothrinax argentata) and bananas (Musa).

The shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis), a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, has expanded its South American and West Indies range northward, and reached Andros in the mid-1990s.

The bigger threats, however, are continued habitat loss from human development, introduced predators (including cats, rats, dogs and hogs) and stochastic processes that, because of the oriole's small population size, increase the risk of extinction.