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Oriole south migration underway

16 years ago

I was looking out my window this morning and saw a female oriole land on the shepherd hook where the orange/jelly feeder is hanging. Unfortunately, I had not yet refilled the empty jelly trays so it flew off. This is the first oriole I've seen in two months.

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Comments (10)

rachel_frome_ky
16 years ago
Cool! Maybe I'd better refill mine as well!
donald lucius
16 years ago
I,m in southwest Colorado and the nights are getting cool.
I had three nesting pairs of Bullocks Orioles. After the young got big enough i had also eleven young orioles. The adult males left first. and in this last week all but 5 of the others are gone too.
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Attention..All Oriole Experts
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orioles usually return to the area they were born in. they winter in old mexico and central america and some in florida and the islands. just guessing that they would be returning again in mid to late April to your area either to nest or to fill up before they migrate further north. they are probably eating at your place to fill up before they head further south. the ones i get here eat the jelly and necter best but some really get after oranges or orange juice and a couple like watermelon or diced fruit pieces.
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Help with attracting orioles to our area, and getting them to possibly
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Comments (5)
Hello! I just saw your post and hope that you've now been successful in attracting the orioles to your yard. Don't give up! It took me years to "get them" the first time but now they return every year. This year so far, I have at least five pairs that visit the feeders regularly. I understand that they spend their winters in Central America, so your location shouldn't be a problem. I live about an hour northwest of Toronto, Canada. Every spring, I put out a nectar feeder that I half-fill with orange-coloured sugar/water. This must be changed frequently (2-3x/week) because they won't take it if it isn't fresh. In addition, I skewer a half an orange on another nearby feeder, which is always very popular. HOWEVER, this year I have learned (to my amazement) that they won't eat "juice" oranges (Valencia), they'll only eat Navel oranges!!! I can't believe they're so particular! Early in the season their main diet is sugary-based nectar but a few weeks later they seem to prefer a protein-based diet (bugs, worms, caterpillars, etc.) so you may not see them at your feeder unless you offer live mealworms, which orioles ADORE. Mealworms are available in the reptile department of most pet stores. YES, they are totally gross but worth it to attract and sustain the Orioles and Eastern Bluebirds in our garden. We have a shallow little mealworm feeder dish that attaches to the nectar feeder pole. I too have read that grape jelly is an attractant but so far, only about 10% of our birds have shown any interest whatsoever. No idea why. A couple of oriole resources I would recommend include the Cornell Ornithology website: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/lifehistory and the Stokes Oriole book: https://www.amazon.ca/Stokes-Oriole-Book-Lillian/dp/0316816949/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463403938&sr=8-1&keywords=Stokes+oriole+book I'm certainly no expert but this is what I've learned from about 20 years of attracting these little orange marvels to my garden. Good luck, and hang in there! :-)
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boston_ma_02125
16 years ago
Folks if you like orioles, enjoy gardening and have the space I have a truly cool tip: plant a grape arbor. I live in Boston near downtown and have always enjoyed gardening. Living in the city, seeing orioles was a rare treat... but not any more. Three years ago I planted a concord grape and trained it up to cover our 2nd story deck. The number of birds attracted has risen exponentially of these three years. Seeing ten orioles at a time is now pretty common. Also attracted are cardinals, jays, and catbirds. There are so many birds out there right now that there probably won't be enough grapes to make jam once they fully ripen. Do I mind, not at all
rachel_frome_ky
16 years ago
Wow! Another tip I'm going to follow, if possible! I wonder if I can grow grapes in Albuquerque (still hoping to move there next yr)?
builder24car
16 years ago
I've been trying to get an Oriole for years. I took this pic last week thinking it was an immature robin. I posted it on another board and two people told me it was an immature Baltimore Oriole! I want a bird and when I finally see it I don't even know what it looks like! I suck as a birder. *sigh* At least it's a lifer for me. :)
hawkeye_wx
Original Author
16 years ago
The one female oriole stayed for a couple weeks, but I have not seen another.
dzyg
16 years ago
So far ours here in WI are still around eating the jelly but it won't be long now. I think our hummers left though. =(

Donna
donald lucius
16 years ago
the last of my orioles left out yesterday. I had three nesting pairs of bullocks orioles and got 11 young ones
the male adults left over a month ago and since then the others are leaving in small groups. The last two did not show up today at all so i assume they left yesterday.
I expermented this year with a variety of fruits and they ate most anything i put out, One loved watermelon and they all liked apricots and cherrys, a couple drank orange juice from a lid everyday and a couple even ate plums.
Cantalope was not a big treat for them.
hawkeye_wx
Original Author
16 years ago
A male baltimore oriole came to my yard this afternoon. It has been back for grape jelly twice. I sure with I had more of these beautiful birds during spring/summer. With a little luck maybe he'll stay for a couple days. Most of my orioles in spring were one and done.

Hawkeye
East-central Iowa
beckyw
16 years ago
Here is a pic of Mr and Mrs on their way south.
From 2009-09-07 yard

We got these HB feeders this year and the orioles loved them. It was the first year we had some stay and nest. We had at least 2 nests nearby. After they raised the babies they disappeared for a few weeks. But when they started south we had them on the feeders several times a day. We haven't seem any for a few days now but for awhile they hit it heavy. The feeders are made by First Nature and we got ours at Walmart for $3.88. They come completely apart for easy cleanup and have a wide mouth on the jar part so they wash easily.

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