The Ultimate Guide to Orioles – Bird Lover Nest

The Ultimate Guide to Orioles

The whistling and echoing of orioles from the treetops in the bright morning hours is the best gift of spring in North America. These are seasonal birds, and they migrate all the way to North America in the spring season to breed and cheer you up with their attractive appearance and happy sounds.

I think nothing could be more satisfying than seeing these cute little birds singing and dancing all over the parks and treetops.

Did you know that you can even distinguish orioles into males and females? Let me tell you how?

The adult male orioles appear flame-orange and black. They also have a solid black head and a white bar on their black wings. On the other hand, the females are yellow-orange on the chest and grayish on the head and back. They also have two bold white wing bars.

These birds are not as friendly as other small birds. It is pretty difficult to see them because they stay in the tree canopy, so they are hard to see, but you can listen to their enchanting songs throughout the spring.

Orioles bird feeders


Orioles are from the blackbird family, but they are quite different from their ancestors. If you want to know all the facts about orioles, stay with this article until the end, and I will reveal the secrets and facts about these small loving birds.

Facts About Orioles That Will Amaze You

As described above, bird watchers love orioles who build their nests in the treetops, which are covered with vivid leaves. So only some daring people can get a chance to see the oriole nests and oriole eggs.

What do the orioles' nests look like?

Unlike other small birds, orioles do not build ordinary nests. Their nests are way different from other birds, and you can easily distinguish them. The nest looks like a sock-like hanging woven by the female oriole with thin fibers, slightly round and 3-4 inches deep on the ground where the female can lay her eggs. In addition, the nest has a 2-3 inch opening at the top that serves as an entrance.

Interesting fact: Orioles eggs are 2.1 - 2.5 in length, and the females lay 3-7 pale greyish or blue white eggs per clutch.

Orioles are the best nest builders, and no other birds can compete with them in beautiful nest building.

Can we find them in our backyard?

I know the beauty of these birds is now urging you to welcome them into your backyard. Right? However, these birds cannot be easily attracted, yet there are ways through which you can receive them into your garden.

Orioles love to feed on ripe and spongy juicy fruits. All you can do is hang some half-cut oranges, raspberries, and crab apples in your backyard. The essence of the ripe fruits will welcome these birds to your backyard, and here is your chance to see them and hear their enchanting voices.

You can do one more thing; the market is full of unique oriole feeders. You can scent these feeders with sugar water additives, some jelly, and flower nectar to welcome them to your garden. But you have to be careful not to put too much in, as high doses risk contaminating the plumage.

In addition, you can add a beautiful bird bath into your backyard bird garden to attract more orioles in the hotter times of the year.

Interesting fact: Unlike other fruit-loving birds, orioles only love fully ripped and dark colored fruits. They will feed on dark red cherries and purple grapes instead of yellow cherries and green grapes (even if they are ripe).

With their beaks, they drill a hole in the fruit, from which they can drink the juice with their brush-like tongues. Some of them also feed on small insects, for which they fly a little high, spot their prey, and eat them for lunch.

Oriole bird products


How do they mate?

Spring is their breeding season. Usually, they are monogamous, and it takes a lot of effort for the males to attract the females. From establishing a territory for a display to singing and chattering, males will do anything to persuade their partner to mate.

They hop from perch to perch to please the female orioles. Males also bow with lowered wings and fanned tails to show respect and attract females. Normally, the females ignore these displays or sing, but once they are convinced, the pair is all set to mate.

The hatching of the eggs takes 12-14 days. Once the young hatch from the eggs, both parents are responsible for feeding them until they become independent.

Interesting fact: If an egg, a young one, or the nest is destroyed, the orioles will not be able to replace the loss with a new clutch of eggs in the same breeding season.

Why We Love Orioles

Orioles are the cutest of small birds. Their charming sounds will calm you down in the morning. If you are depressed or feel disconnected from this world, I suggest you make friends with the seasonal birds because they will entertain you with their songs and make you realize that the world is still beautiful.

So are you ready to welcome orioles this spring? Start preparing oriole feeders in your garden, or you can also plant trees for dark and juicy fruits to attract them with their scent and nectar.