Baltimore Orioles

14 years ago

I have managed to attract Orioles to my feeder. They do not eat the oranges or nectar - only the grape jelly or mealworms when I put them out. I am curious about nesting. I can't figure out where they are nesting. Is it sensible that there is only one pair in my area or am I seeing several different birds. The first day I saw them(the second week of May)there were 3 males at the feeder. Now they only come one at a time. I am very interested in learning more about them from people who have had actual experience and not necessarily what I read on the internet.

Thanks - hope you guys chime in and help educate me.

Barb

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Comments (5)

beegood_gw
14 years ago
They nest quite high up in the trees with a fairly deep cup fastened at the edges to a few branches. Check the far upper branches with your binoculars and you may find one. I have only ever found one as it was being used,
bedelia
14 years ago
I have a few males eating grape jelly in my yard. I can see one leave and another one flys in right away. I read they are territorial, but mine seem to get along (LOL). Most likely I have more than 1 nest in my area.

A couple of years ago in Feb, I found an oriole nest laying on the ground in my yard (wooded area). It apparently was an old one, and blew out of the tree. I know they nest in back somewhere, since they've brought the kids to the grape jelly last year.

Good luck!
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Konrad___far_north
14 years ago
I wanted to ask this too...how far would they travel from their
favored nesting sites for food? One thing I know...coming to
your jelly dish will slow down or stop, one's they feed their young
with better foods, like insects.
terrene
14 years ago
My yard has numerous mature trees, mostly an open woodland habitat, which is the attractive to Orioles. There is a large Pin Oak right above my deck and bird feeders. Baltimore Orioles have nested in this tree for 3 years in a row. This year I've been watching them more closely and reporting sightings to the Oriole Project with Mass Audubon. Right now, both parents are very busy feeding the babies, and I can hear them squeaking when they are getting fed!

Their nest is located at the end of a branch at the bottom of the canopy about 30 feet above the ground. It is a different branch each year, but the nests have been close to each other and the shell of the previous year's nest hangs there for awhile. The nest is an amazing hanging pouch of woven fibers. I watched the female weave the nest this year!

I don't feed Orioles, and have reduced the amount of food I put in the feeders because I didn't want to attract a lot of birds to the feeding station so as not to disturb the Orioles. They are very territorial about their nesting area. When the female was incubating eggs, Dad was aggressively chasing away all birds, from Crows and Grackles, to even the little Goldfinches! I can't imagine them tolerating other Orioles near the nest.

I don't know how far they nest from feeders or other food sources, but I've observed them several time flitting through the branches and leaves of assorted trees (including Crabapples), probably picking at insects.

Here's a couple pics from this year.
Renkosiewicz
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks to everyone for your responses. The pictures of the nest are awesome. Makes you wonder how the thing stays up there. Just once I saw more than one at the jelly feeder and that was in the early Spring. Since then they come one at a time. I might see one in the feeder 3 or 4 times a day. I know they like insects. I have also been putting out live meal worms just about every day. Thanks again for all your help. I hope I see the babies soon.