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! :-)

Thank you, debutante, for your kind answer. I will keep trying. They are so beautiful.

A suet feeder with an orange in it works well for me.

Donna, we live in northeast Ohio also. We spotted our first oriole a year ago just like you did, on the hummer feeder. Now, in the spring I fill a oriole feeder with grape jelly and just hang it out when the hummer feeders go out side. Our spring was pretty late this year, and it just hung there untouched until they finally arrived. I figured better early when they are driving by. We now have 6-8 regular customers, plus babies this year. Don't worry if the birds suddenly disappear, they are cooking eggs and will need insects for babies once hatched. Ours were gone for almost five weeks, but returned along with everyone else. It's funny to watch the babies do the kamikaze approach trying to land on the feeders! We also have finches, catbird, and grosbeaks feeding there also. It is kind of crazy filling the jelly twice a day but worth it to hear the orioles. For some reason they just don't eat oranges, meal worms or grapes, just the jelly. They also hate a messy feeder, so be sure to wash the lid so their feet don't get sticky. I also tried a oriole sugar water feeder for them, but they haven't been smart enough to figure out how use it, but the hummers like it as a backup! The orioles will sit on our deck railing and "yell" at us when the jelly is empty!

juliet799 quit spamming these threads. You've been reported. all of your posts link to your business. that's not allowed here