I guess what is odd about it is how hard it was to find. The nest we found was so well concealed that the Orioles spent little time chasing away intruders. A male Red-winged Blackbird landed within ten feet of the nest, and the male Oriole did not even flinch from its perch.
Baltimore Orioles feed high in the trees, searching for insects, flowers, and fruit. They are easily heard and can be found from their distinctive calls. The nests on the other hand, are very hard to locate if woven as shown above. Some hang freely, sock-like from tree branches and are easily seen. An experienced birder showed my friend and I where this nest was located. WE would not have found it on our own as it was so well hidden.
The nests are made from thin fibers of hair, grass, twine, grapevine, and other fibrous material. All are laid in by poking the beak in and out, securing in the pieces.
The male defends the nest, chasing off those that get too close. Watching birds is a way to learn about behaviors.
Most Orioles will nest most frequently in Elm, Maple and Cottonwood.
The males are a brightly colored bird, similar to the male Cardinal. Unlike other brightly colored fruit-eating birds, they prefer only ripe, dark-colored fruit like dark cherries and deep purple grapes.
My birding friends suggested Welch’s Concord Grape Jelly, saying they tried other cheaper brands and the Orioles turned up their beaks at the offering. I myself got them in the garden with fruit I cut up, like fresh dark red grapes and dried cherries. I also had cut up oranges, apples and bananas. The wildlife really enjoys what I offer them other than the hulled seed they eat all winter.
I did get the jelly and found it brought in Orioles quite easily. I halved an orange and scooped out the orange to make an orange cup to fill with jelly. In my feeder, I placed the orange bits in the feeder cups as well.
Baltimore Oriole populations are in decline throughout their range with Canada experiencing over a 3 percent loss per year. (source) My post, Keep the Faith Feathered Friends, touched on the importance of the role we play in the loss of other creatures.
See you tomorrow and I hope those of you celebrating Memorial Day have a nice day of remembrance.