Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Brilliantly-Colored Oriole

By: Tom Berg

Baltimore orioles are one of the most beautiful birds that visit the central and eastern United States. Their bright orange feathers really stand out against the dark green leaves of the shrubs and trees where they feed, making them easy to see for anyone watching. The only problem is that they don’t sit still for long and quickly disappear into the foliage!

Orioles breed throughout much of their range in the U.S and southern Canada, and they migrate south to Mexico, Central America and northern South America in the winter. During the summer they can be found along our forest edges, in the trees along the shorelines of lakes, in fruit orchards, parks and even in backyards.

These colorful birds can be very beneficial since they eat many pest insects like tent caterpillars and webworms. An interesting fact is that orioles often capture tent caterpillars and use their beaks to bang them against tree branches until the caterpillar’s defensive hairs are beaten off. Orioles also eat the invasive gypsy moth caterpillars and a wide variety of beetles, ants and flies.

Orioles consume plenty of insects during the summer, but they also love ripe fruit. They will not eat green fruit, though.  It must be ripe, and the darker it is the better they like it. Blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, cherries, crab apples and purple grapes are favorites. Bright orange fruits like peaches and oranges attract orioles, too, and nectar-laden orange-colored flowers like those on trumpet vines also appeal to them.

Special oriole feeders that are painted bright orange will attract orioles, and most are made with posts where you can set oranges that are cut in half.  They also usually have a small bowl or dish where you can deposit grape jelly – another favorite food of orioles. Some people also cut oranges in half and hang them from tree branches to entice these beautiful birds into their yard. You can, too!

Have you done something interesting outdoors? Join Global Outdoors and write a review to tell everyone about it! We’re building the home for trusted reviews of outdoor experiences, outfitters, and guides.