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Baltimore Oriole Birds...

Say the word oriole to most folks, and they immediately picture a bright yellow-orange, flashy bird with black markings… and amazing hanging nests they weave.

Believe it or not, the Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, is actually a small blackbird, about 7 to 8 in (18 cm) long and weighs 34 g.

Adults have a pointed bill and white bars on the wings. The adult male is orange on its under-parts, shoulder patch, and rump – all the rest is black. Adolescent males are colored  pretty much like the females until their second year. The adult female is yellow-brown on its upper parts with darker wings, and dull orange on its breast and belly.

Baltimore orioles have adapted to man’s presence amazingly well. They nest in open woodlands, suburban areas, and parks – all across eastern North America.

Interestingly, between 1973 and the mid-1990s the Baltimore oriole and the Bullock’s oriole were considered subspecies of the Northern oriole. This was because they interbred where their nesting ranges overlapped in the Great Plains area of North America. Now, all three are considered separate species.

Their diet of insects, fruit, and nectar will make it fairly simple to attract them to your backyard bird garden. Just place slices or wedges of citrus on a platform feeder. You may even see some amazing acrobatics as they try gripping those tiny perches on hummingbird feeders.

You can make it easier on orioles by giving them their very own oriole feeder. Basically, the main differences between the two feeders are bigger perches and orange coloring on the oriole feeder containers.

Check out the FREE oriole nectar recipe formula... ready for printing. You will also find some sources for related items.

Have a look at the articles in the Care of Wild Birds section. You will find tips and resources for feeding wild birds, caring for baby birds... even how to prevent wild birds from crashing into windows.

The Baltimore Oriole's nest is a tightly woven pouch located on the end of a branch, hanging down on the underside, with one entrance hole in the top. The male and female share in building this pendant-shaped nest made of grass, bark strips, vegetable matter, and even man-made items like string.

Males court the females with displays of bowing, spreading their tails, and raising their wings. The female lays and cares for 4 or 5 bluish-white eggs. Both parents share in feeding their young, and continue to do so after the young have left the nest.

Baltimore orioles are a migratory species. They arrive in the USA during the spring to breed and raise young, and then return to the tropics of Mexico, Central, and South America in the fall. Some individuals may remain near feeders all winter long, so be alert for flashes of bright yellow-orange midst winter’s dreariness… keep your feeders full and thawed, and your binoculars handy.

For more detailed information and lots of interesting pictures, visit All About Baltimore Orioles.

Acknowledgements:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/
http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA/
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/

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