The ability to attract orioles to your yard is fun and easy. April and May are big bird months in the Great Lakes region. The ubiquitous robins will have shown up and been around since mid-March and are starting to feast on insects and worms emerging from the frozen earth. The next anticipated migratory bird to swoop in on the scene is the Baltimore oriole. The most anticipated visitor is the hummingbirds in early May. Here are the best tips to keep these colorful birds near your yard well into the late summer.
The short summer is big for those who enjoy to put out feeders and draw in the active birds in the Great Lakes region. The ubiquitous robins have been around since mid-March and have feasted on insects and worms emerging from the frozen earth. The next anticipated migratory bird to swoop in on the scene is the Baltimore Oriole. After spending the winter in Mexico, Cuba, and Central America, this migratory bird has been making his way to Canada, the Great Lakes, and New England regions since early March.
Orioles are a bit smaller and sleeker looking than an American Robin, Baltimore Orioles are medium-sized songbirds with thick necks and long legs. Their long, thick-based, pointed bills are an ideal tool for raiding the hummingbird feeders. This long bill is a telltale sign that they belong to the blackbird family.
With a little persistence, you can attract Orioles to your yard within a few weeks. By using these rules of thumb, you can have this colorful resident for the entire summer season.
Tips for Attracting Orioles: Orange and Early
#1 Think Orange for Orioles
Orioles are attracted to bright, vibrant colors in a quiet setting with nearby trees and bushes to perch from. We found that having an orange feeder or using real cut orange halves draws the bird in for the feast. Set the sliced orange halves in a shallow bit of water to discourage ants. Replace the oranges daily. If you see black gunk form, clean off the area. Mold can be harmful to the birds.
#2 Start Feeding Orioles Early in the Season on the Great Lakes
Our hypothesis is that the Orioles have a great memory. One early spring, we spotted a small flock fly in and watch as we unpacked the car until the feeder was placed. Placing your feeders out early will catch the early arrivals and may turn those passing through to seasonal residents.
Offer Orioles and Accessible Feeder and Clear Nectar
Orioles are picky. They don’t like a lot of activity around their feeder. This includes pets and kids. Here are a few tips to increase your activity in your own back yard.
#3 Keep the Oriole Feeder Out in the Open
We have seen the most active oriole feeder posted on a pole in the middle of the yard. From the nearby trees, orioles will swoop in, take a sample or two of the sweet nectar, and then fly off to a nearby perch to finish up, preen, and do it again.
#4 Simple Oriole Clear Nectar Recipe
We use the same sugar nectar recipe for both Orioles and Hummingbirds:
- Add one cup of granulated sugar to four cups of boiling water.
- Stir and let cool.
- Refrigerate the unused portion.
- Never use food coloring.
- Some experts recommend thinning the ratio up to eight parts water to 1 part sugar.
#5 Keep Your Oriole Feeder Clean
#6 Oriole Nectar Alternative: Jelly
Another way to attract Orioles to your yard is to offer a favorite alternative to nectar; a small amount of grape jelly. A couple of tablespoons in an open dish or container it like ringing the dinner bell. You may see some aggressive behavior by the Orioles as they vie for feeding rights. You can make for an easier clean up by mixing a ¼ cup of water into the jelly.
#7 Keep It Clean and Bug-Free
If you see black gunk forming around your feeder, take it in, wash it in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. This advice holds double for hummingbird feeders. The sweet nectar will draw in ants and other critters.
An Oriole Nest Is a Great Sign
#8 If You See an Oriole Nest, Offer Bugs
If you are lucky enough to see one of the small, grey sack-like nests in your yard, start offering mealworms. In the early summer, the birds crave the sweet from fruit nectar after their long migratory flight north. However, once the breeding season starts, they will begin to seek out insects. Mealworms are a great high-protein food that will build them up for their next flight south.
#9 Leave Oriole Nests in Place For Next Year
The bird won’t reuse the nest, but they will recycle the material. Orioles will set their nests out on slender, green twigs to discourage predators like raccoons. We found nests in small bushes from three to six feet off the ground. One suggestion that we have not tried is to offer lengths of twine fiber or horsehair. Sadly, we have seen small spreads of plastic wrap in one nest.
In a recent poll we conducted 95% of the readers said they draw in and feed Orioles every year
A Quiet Environment and Water Draws Orioles
#10 Offer A Little Moving Water
Orioles are attracted to shallow, moving water. We have seen them attracted to a shallow puddle after a rainstorm. Select a wide shallow basin and add a bubbler or small pump to create water movement to attract the most birds. Keep the water clean. Bright colors will also draw their attention.
#11 Keep Your Feeders Away From Activity
Orioles are typically shy. They do not like a lot of traffic from humans or animals. To attract Orioles to your year try to locate your feeder in an open area where it can be seen from the air and treetops. Placement in a high branch or on top of a pole is ideal.
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