Baltimore Orioles are another favorite of
bird watchers. Some food and water will attract this beauty
to your yard.
Just like the Robin, the Oriole is a sign of spring and
summer for many in the United States and Canada. Orioles are
one of the most colorful and vocal of the birds that visit
our backyard feeders and gardens.
Identification and Pictures -
Baltimore Oriole
(Classification: Icterus
Galbula)
Baltimore Orioles are 7 to 8 inches.
Male Orioles are Flame orange or yellow with a black hood
that extends to the back. The tail and wings are black with
white wing bars. The female and young are Olive-brown above
and burnt orange below. Some females will have a black hood
but it is not as pronounced as the male.
Bullock’s Oriole
is slightly different colors than the Baltimore Oriole.
Bullock’s has yellow cheeks and a black eye band, and a
large white wing patch.
There is also an Orchard Oriole. The under parts are a
darker orange than the others and the male is much darker.
The white on the wings is not as vivid as it is in the other.
The Spot breasted Oriole looks like
the Baltimore except for an orange head, a black bib and
spots on the sides of the breast.
There are various hybrid Oriels where their ranges overlap.
Song and Sound of the Oriole
The song of the Baltimore Oriole is a sequence of rich piping
whistled notes, sometimes with harsh raspy notes. There is
also a tee-dee-dee or hoo-lee sound.
Baltimore Oriole sounds:
Note on some browsers you will not be able to see or use the
drop down sound list. If you can't use it try the sound
links below.
Males will tend to have an identifiable pattern. The
female song is less patterned than the male. Young birds or
fledglings make a loud nasal calls that sound like
dee-dee-dee.
Habitat and Range
Orioles prefer open woods, shade trees orchards, parks and
gardens with shade trees. They can be found across the
Eastern US and Canada and winter in Florida, the Gulf Coast
and Central and South America.
Nesting and Breeding
Baltimore Orioles like to breed in thickets
with scattered tall trees near a forest edge or close to
water. The nest built mostly by the female will often be in a
tree or shrub 5 to 15 feet high, however they do put them
much higher. They make a deep pouch or sock like nest that is
bound at the top to branches. It is made of twigs, bark
fibers, string, grasses and other materials. The nest is
lined with moss, plant down or fine grasses.
The female will incubate 3 to 5 eggs. The eggs
are smooth and glossy. Color is grayish or bluish-white or
with a purple tint. They can be marked with black or
blackish-purple, usually around the large end.
The young are fed by both parents and can fly in around two
weeks.
Food and Feeding
Natural foods are caterpillars, other insects, blossoms,
fruit and berries. They are easily attracted to bird feeders
with fruit, jellies, peanut butter, or suet.
Like other backyard birds Orioles love water. A good supply
of food and a fresh, clean, birdbath, will keep the Northern
Oriole coming back.
Baltimore Oriole
(Classification: Icterus
Galbula)
Bullock’s Oriole
is slightly different colors than the Baltimore Oriole.
Bullock’s has yellow cheeks and a black eye band, and a
large white wing patch.
The female will incubate 3 to 5 eggs. The eggs
are smooth and glossy. Color is grayish or bluish-white or
with a purple tint. They can be marked with black or
blackish-purple, usually around the large end.
Oriole posters
