Life and Wildlife along the Little Buffalo River

This beautiful male Baltimore Oriole arrived at my orange feeder a week ago; I moved the orange feeder to the garden fence so I could get a few pictures with a Canon EF600L Lens; he returned about 4 times; then I never saw him again. Apparently he was just migrating north. I was first alerted to his arrival by his whistle in song.

The rich, whistling song of the Baltimore Oriole is a sweet herald of spring in eastern North America. Look way up to find these singers: the male’s brilliant orange plumage blazes from high branches like a torch. Nearby, you might spot the female weaving her remarkable hanging nest from slender fibers. Fond of fruit and nectar as well as insects, Baltimore Orioles are easily lured to backyard orange feeders.

• Size & Shape

  Smaller and more slender than an American Robin, Baltimore Orioles are medium-sized, sturdy-bodied songbirds with thick necks and long legs. Look for their long, thick-based, pointed bills, a hallmark of the blackbird family they belong to.

• Color Pattern

  Adult males are flame-orange and black, with a solid-black head and one white bar on their black wings. Females and immature males are yellow-orange on the breast, grayish on the head and back, with two bold white wing bars.

• Behavior

  Baltimore Orioles are more often heard than seen as they feed high in trees, searching leaves and small branches for insects, flowers, and fruit. You may also spot them lower down, plucking fruit from vines and bushes or sipping from hummingbird feeders. Watch for the male’s slow, fluttering flights between tree tops and listen for their characteristic wink or chatter calls.

• Habitat

  Look for Baltimore Orioles high in leafy deciduous trees, but not in deep forests: they’re found in open woodland, forest edge, orchards, and stands of trees along rivers, in parks, and in backyards.

Baltimore Oriole arriving in Murray

Baltimore Oriole 2

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