Bird of the Week: The Baltimore Oriole
Summer is here... And so are the Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula)... Stunning creatures, really.
Some interesting facts about the Baltimore Oriole...
So break out that grape jelly, and cut up those oranges... Summer is here, and so are the orioles!
See you by those brilliant feeders,
CapeCodAlan
And once again, thanks to the following:
Some interesting facts about the Baltimore Oriole...
- Ours just showed up a few weeks ago - early to mid May.
- They like grape jelly, but don't have a taste for jam. (At least ours don't!)
- Orioles are gregarious fellows, especially around the feeders.
- They have umpteen cousins (the Altamira Oriole, Hooded Oriole, Audubon's Oriole, and Scott's Oriole) who live in Mexico and Central America. To boot, they're related to the Bullock's Oriole, the Orchard Oriole, and the Spot-breasted Oriole.
- These birds build (or weave) funky, hanging-basket nests.
So break out that grape jelly, and cut up those oranges... Summer is here, and so are the orioles!
See you by those brilliant feeders,
CapeCodAlan
And once again, thanks to the following:
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Wikipedia
- Audubon Society
- U.S. Geological Survey
- MSN Encarta
- The National Audubon Society’s “The Sibley Guide to Birds”
- ”Birds Of North America” published by Golden
- ”Birds of New England” from Smithsonian Handbooks
- Chapman's "Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America"
- Peterson's "A Field Guide to the Birds"
- "Birdwatching" from publisher "Discovery Travel Adventures"
Comments
They are lovely. Here in southern California I get Hooded Orioles. They are very skittish, a hummingbird will chase them away from their feeder. They won't eat oranges or jelly, either. But this year I have 2 pairs, and they already have fledged their young. It's fun to watch the parents teaching the young to eat from the feeder - although the kids have to wait until dad has finished!
Posted by: Diane | June 5, 2007 7:50 PM
Hi, I just stumbled across your site while trying to identify a new bird in our yard. It turns out it is an Oriole we live in utah and I have never seen an oriole before. is it normal for them to be in utah. They are actually eating out of our humming bird feeders. Kind of crazy a big old bird practically hanging upside down.
Posted by: krissi | May 30, 2010 7:45 PM
Hi Krissi,
Thanks for your new readership!
Yes, Utah does have its fair share of orioles. Here's a great site that lists the birds that you might see in your new home:
http://www.wasatchaudubon.org/utah_checklist.htm
In general, you can use this link to ID birds:
http://www.ebirdseed.com/blog/2008/02/references_for_backyard_birder.html
Enjoy!
CCA
Posted by: CapeCodAlan
|
May 31, 2010 8:46 PM
For a few weeks, I have been seeing birds in my back yard that I thought were a pair of Baltimore Orioles. I got a picture of them today while they were eating seeds from my Black Eyed Susan plant. They like strawberries, too - they've gotten more than I have!
Posted by: Cynthia Ellen Mazza | July 27, 2010 8:17 PM
Hi Cynthia Ellen,
Thanks for your comment! If you want, feel free to email me at: capecodalan@ebirdseed.com and include the picture...
Thanks again,
CCA
Posted by: CapeCodAlan
|
July 28, 2010 1:06 PM