5 Ways to Attract Orioles This Spring

Orioles are beautiful birds that can be found throughout all of the United States. Eight different oriole species can be seen in the country. The most recognizable is likely the Baltimore oriole with its bright orange and black plumage. This bird can be found throughout the eastern United States and as far west as parts of Montana and Wyoming. Meanwhile, some species like the Bullock’s oriole are prevalent throughout the western states. If you are an oriole fan, let’s take a look at some of the best strategies for attracting orioles this spring. 

Start Your Work Early

Orioles are migratory birds that cover a lot of territory from their winter homes to their spring breeding areas. The migration process can be physically draining on these birds. Once they land in your area, they are going to be on the lookout for quick and easy meals. 

Of course, they are also creatures of habit. Thus, providing an easy, reliable meal when they first arrive in your neighborhood can lead to them frequently visiting your backyard. Thus, it is useful to check when orioles typically arrive in your particular area. For example, Baltimore orioles will typically begin to arrive in the Midwest between April and May. 

Provide the Right Food

When feeding orioles, it is important to provide things that they prefer which can increase the likelihood that they will stop by your yard. In the wild, orioles typically eat things like grasshoppers, spiders, and fruit. You won’t find them dining on seeds. 

Thus, the best choice for drawing these birds to your yard is a diet high in fruit and nectar. They will dine on a wide variety of fruit including oranges (cut them in half), bananas, berries, and cherries. They are also drawn to different types of jelly or jam like blueberry, grape, or blackberry. Mealworms can also be an effective option. 

Pick the Best Types of Feeders

Traditional bird feeders won’t attract orioles as they focus on items not in the oriole diet. Instead, you’ll want to focus on different types of feeders to attract these beautiful birds. Fortunately, there are many options. This feeder is great for providing sliced oranges while this one makes it very convenient to offer up jelly or jam. 

If you provide nectar to hummingbirds, you’ll find that orioles also love this type of food. However, orioles can’t efficiently hover, so you will want to ensure you have nectar feeders that provide an opportunity for perching. For example, this 30 ounce feeder has convenient perches that allow orioles to stop and drink the sweet nectar. You can find a wide selection of our oriole feeders here. Be sure to hang your oriole feeder in the open, potentially near a birdbath. 

Brighten Your Yard with Orange

You probably know that different species of birds are attracted to different colors. The same is true for orioles. In particular, orioles tend to pay more attention to the color orange. This is not surprising as oranges are a favorite food. 

Thus, adding some touches of orange to your yard can be an effective strategy. Consider adding a bright orange feeder that can easily catch the birds’ eye as they fly overhead. Of course, planting some orange flowering plants like marigolds or poppies can also help add a splash of this color to your backyard. 

Encourage Orioles to Nest

Another great strategy to get a good view of orioles is to encourage nesting. After all, if they nest in your yard, you’ll definitely have a good view of them throughout the breeding season. Orioles prefer deciduous trees like oaks, maples, and elms. Planting some of these will help entice orioles to choose your yard for their home. 

You also want to ensure that the birds have plenty of supplies to build their nests. Orioles will create nests out of many different things. Materials like vines, strips of bark, grasses, and even string are great choices. Providing some of these items, such as in a corner brush pile, can help encourage nesting. 

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