I love catbirds and yes they love jelly and also suet. They have the prettiest song. Catbirds won't scare other birds off either, usually they are the ones to be scared off however I have watched this year (for the first time) them fluffing up and chattering at the redwing blackbirds when they were at the peanut butter suet. It was funny.

Donna

I LOVE catbirds!!! Last year I had a pair that came to the jelly feeder everyday. Sadly, I don't have any catbirds this year. I really miss them. They nested in a large bush below my deck. I have a grosebeak and red bellied wp that also love jelly. U R lucky to have the CB's.

Karen

Thanks for all of the comments. I just wish the orioles would eat the jelly too.

It took me 10 years to get my Orioles to eat the jelly. They prefer the 4 to 1 sugar water I put in the Oriole and Hummer feeders.
Cathy

bedelia, the orioles at my feeders are very fond of red grapes and oranges. I don't even put jelly out because I find it a nuisance and the orioles and catbirds seem completely content with the fresh fruit.

The orioles that pass through here, if given the choice of nectar, orange, and grape jelly, almost always choose the jelly. Only the first oriole this season ate a small amount of orange when the jelly trays were empty. The only problem is I don't get many orioles(8 total in 7 weeks) and it doesn't take them long to eat the jelly. I've had one oriole for the last week so he must be nesting in the area(I haven't seen a female so maybe she's sitting on eggs all day). However, he only visits my feeder for about ten seconds a few times a day. The catbirds, on the other hand, spend MUCH more time at the feeder eating jelly. I have seen them less in recent days as they have shifted to some other foods like serviceberries.

I think I'll give up on the oranges. No one's touched them at all, and I've been changing them every other day or so. I've seen a squirrel go after the feeder and chased him off. I hope he doesn't get persistent.

I'm new at this bird thing, and there's a lot to learn.

Thanks for all your comments.

bedelia, instead of throwing out an orange half after only two days, you might try just slicing off the dried out top layer. The orange that is not exposed to the sun and air stays pretty fresh. My orange halves have lasted at least five days. That said, nothing here has touched the orange in several weeks, and migration is over, so I'm done putting it out.

My catbirds seem pretty shy of the feeder and BOSS. I'll try grape jelly but how should I feed it? Will a mealworm feeder mounted above the squirrel baffle work and how will I keep the ants away?

Linda

I think you can put the jelly in just about anything. I've seen jelly feeders also, but they are pricey.

I have an oriole feeder (looks like a hummingbird feeder) that has little "pockets" for jelly. The bird lands on the center of the feeder and scarfs up the jelly. I haven't had any ant problems (yet) but I think the wasps will like it once they find it.

He hasn't touched the grapes though that I bought especially for him!

I also have catbirds that seem to have taken to eating the jelly I originally provided for the orioles...I have had no luck in drawing the orioles to this feeder---they come to the yard because of the apple blossoms--but do not come to this feeder, since the apple blossoms have gone by, I do not see the orioles anymore-- on occasion I can hear their beautiful song..So I now enjoy watching and feeding the catbirds their grape jelly and orange halves.

My catbirds had been devouring grape jelly since they arrived on May 7th. A few days ago they suddenly stopped coming to the feeder and pretty much disappeared(still see them in the tree once in a while). I'm not sure what they do or where they go now that they are done raising their young. I saw the female oriole at the jelly feeder for the first time a couple days ago, and I thought the pair would be taking jelly back to their young for a couple weeks, but they have disappeared as well.

After reading all the comments I feel very lucky to have so much activity at my Oriole feeder. (Not to brag I seriously feel lucky!) Orioles, Finches and Grey Catbirds all frequent the jelly/orange slice feeder throughout the day. It has taken me 4 yrs to get this much activity and I love it! The House finch is showing more interest in the oranges than the Orioles so at least they are not going to waste. Good thing grape jelly was on sale. I have had the Orioles for 3 yrs now but the Finches and Catbirds are new and voracious eaters!