By Carolyn Christian
Each week, Signal Akron will help you in your gardening adventures with an excerpt from "The Root of It," a monthly newsletter from the Summit County Master Gardeners, Ohio State University Extension.
When my dear editor asked me to write about Baltimore orioles, my initial research revealed more baseball than birds.
Did you know the current Baltimore Orioles baseball team was hatched in Milwaukee in 1894, migrated to St. Louis in 1902, and finally flew to Baltimore in 1954 where it was named for the state bird? Who cares? Orioles with wings are way more interesting than ones with bats.
Let’s talk birds
“Oriole” means golden in Latin (aureoles). The name was first given to old-world orioles belonging to the Oriolidae family. Similar birds in the New World were also called orioles, but they belong to the family Icterus, which is primarily blackbirds and meadowlarks. Our New World genus contains about 30 species, eight of which are found throughout North America.
Baltimore orioles are sturdy songbirds with long pointy bills and long tails. Males are beautiful, with bright orange breasts, black heads and backs, and orange and white markings on black wings. Females are a less flashy yellow, brown and olive; as they molt they can turn a brighter orange. Juvenile males resemble females as they don’t show their full colors until after their first birthday.
Baltimore orioles are found east of the Rocky Mountains and as far north as southern Canada. It is said that early eighteenth century Marylanders dubbed them “Baltimore-Birds” because the orange and black males resembled the colors of the crest of Lord Baltimore, the original proprietor (manager for the Crown) of Maryland.
In July and August the generally solitary birds migrate in flocks, traveling to tropical winter homes in southern Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. Some remain in the southeastern United States and the Gulf Coast; the few that don’t migrate may not survive.
Orioles return north in April to breeding grounds in open woodlands with large shade trees or suburban and urban landscapes. Males arrive first, staking out a two-to-three-acre territory using their loud, flute-like whistle to protect their space and attract females.
Unique songs, skillful nests and resourceful tactics
It is said that each oriole has its own distinctive song (how do they prove that?) Listen here. If you enjoyed that here’s 68 minutes MORE:
Mom-to-be finds a nest site, usually at the end of a deciduous tree branch 25-30 feet above ground. Over the next week or so, she selects her materials — plants, hair, string, spider silk — and weaves her nest together in a complex process resulting in a basket-like hanging structure with an opening at the top. While she doesn’t tie knots (!), she creates them as she pokes fibers in and out. The finished product is remarkably strong and can last for years, although orioles generally don’t reuse nests (they poach materials from old nests for new ones).
Dad might help gather material, but mom’s the master builder.
Mom is very resourceful. Before the advent of the automobile, nests were primarily made of horsehair. The brood of three-seven eggs will hatch in about two weeks, and both parents feed the babies.
Orioles eat insects, fruit and nectar. They hunt in treetops, catching moths, flies, grasshoppers, beetles and many insects considered pests, such as spongy moths and tent caterpillars. Their diet shifts seasonally. In summer they eat protein-rich insects, in spring and fall they load up on sugary fruit and nectar that easily converts to energy.
They prefer the darkest colored fruits and may ignore green grapes and yellow cherries even if ripe. Some people consider orioles pests as their voracious appetites can damage fruit crops. Orioles consider these people pests and feel they need to learn to share.
Support the Baltimore oriole during its time in Ohio
Orioles vanish all too soon, winging off in August. Like other night migrators, they can crash into buildings and towers if disoriented by light pollution or rainstorms. Their population is also impacted by loss of habitat and the use of insecticides that kill their prey and can also harm them.
So how can you support these amazing creatures in the few months they visit Ohio? There are ways to make your backyard oriole-friendly—just remember nature gives no guarantees!
- Set out orange slices (they LOVE the taste and color) and purple or red grapes. Serve the fruit on platform feeders or suet cages (you can skewer cut oranges directly on branches). Put them out by mid-April and make sure they are visible to oriole passerbys.
- Offer sugar water (1 part sugar to 4 parts water) in an orange-colored nectar feeder. A hummingbird feeder may be too small for orioles to access.
- Put out a small amount of grape jelly in a dish. Baltimore orioles LOVE grape jelly.
- Add a bird bath, preferably with a running/bubbling water feature. Orioles are drawn to the sound of water.
- Plant fruit-bearing plants such as raspberries, crabapples, and blackberries (if you are willing to share). See Lesley the Bird Nerd on attracting Baltimore orioles here.
