Feeding Birds: Baltimore Orioles

Oriole visiting the jelly feeder

Over the last couple of summers, I have really enjoyed the visits of Baltimore Orioles to my garden.  I first spotted them coming to my hummingbird feeders early last summer.  Before then, I hadn't even realized that they lived in this area, so I was delighted to spot these gorgeous birds.  After a bit of research, I started putting out grape jelly for them, which was a real hit.  I had found a bright orange feeder with spikes for slices of fruit and small cups to hold jelly, and the birds quickly began visiting it.



About half of the orioles' diet is insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, ants, caterpillars, aphids and other insects, so the investment in a few jars of grape jelly seem a small price to pay for their services in defense of my garden plants. I occasionally give them a piece of fresh fruit, such as a slice of orange or a piece of banana, but they seem to like the jelly best.   I understand that they are also attracted to many of the same nectar-producing flowers as hummingbirds such as petunias, honeysuckle, and bleeding hearts. It also helps keep birds as regular visitors to a yard if there are sources of water such as bird baths, fountains or ponds.

Orioles are not year-round residents in Kansas.  They begin to return from their winter homes by late April/early May, so it is important to have feeders in place by then.  Fall migration back to the tropics begins in September.

Orioles add a cheerful note of color to the birds visiting my yard, and are a real pleasure to watch, as well as the satisfaction of knowing that they help keep insect pests at bay.