Oriole feeders are specially designed to attract colorful birds like orioles and hummingbirds. The feeders are made to accommodate the eating habits of these birds, with their perches, ports, and nectar mixes. But sometimes, other backyard birds may also try to eat from these specialized feeders.
Do Blue Jays eat from oriole feeders?
Blue jays are one of the most common birds seen trying to feed from oriole nectar feeders. Blue jays are intelligent, opportunistic birds that have adapted well to backyard bird feeders. They love sweet foods like suet, fruit, and sugary nectar.
Blue jays have strong beaks that can sometimes break into the orange and yellow feeder ports meant for orioles. Their heavier bodies can also occasionally dislodge feeder perches. Many blue jays have figured out how to drink the nectar by holding onto the feeder and sticking their heads into the ports.
Some ways to deter blue jays from your oriole feeder include:
- Use feeders with weighted perches that don’t sway under the blue jay’s weight.
- Look for feeders with bee guards that prevent larger heads from fitting in the ports.
- Employ feeders that close down when a heavy bird lands on it.
- Offer blue jays an alternate food source away from the oriole feeder.
A squirrel guard can also help discourage blue jays. But for the most part, oriole nectar is not harmful to blue jays if they do manage to eat it from the feeder.
Do Woodpeckers come to oriole feeders?
Woodpeckers are not frequent visitors to oriole nectar feeders. They mainly eat insects, nuts, seeds, and fruits. However, downy woodpeckers have been known to occasionally drink from hummingbird feeders.
Since oriole and hummingbird feeders are very similar, downy woodpeckers may also sample the sugary nectar meant for orioles. If woodpeckers become a persistent problem at your oriole feeder, consider these tips:
- Use a feeder with short perches, which deters larger woodpeckers.
- Select a feeder with built-in bee guards to block access to bigger beaks.
- Place woodpecker feeders with suet and nut butter away from the oriole nectar station.
- Scare off stubborn woodpeckers with noisemakers or harmless repellents.
In most cases, woodpeckers will not damage specialized oriole feeders. They tend to move on quickly after sampling the sugary nectar on rare occasions.
Will Cardinals eat at an oriole feeder?
Northern cardinals are another backyard bird attracted to the sweet nectar found in oriole feeders, especially during summer. Cardinals have strong, thick beaks capable of piercing some feeder ports meant for orioles.
Cardinals also love fruit jam, jelly, crushed oranges, and grape jelly – all common oriole feeder offerings. To prevent cardinals from dominating your oriole feeder, try these tips:
- Offer jelly and fruit at a separate feeder, away from the oriole nectar station.
- Choose a feeder with small ports that cardinals can’t access.
- Use feeders that close down when heavier birds like cardinals land on it.
- Invest in a feeder with a cardinal guard to block larger beaks.
- Scare off persistent cardinals with harmless repellents or noise.
Cardinals are aggressive and territorial during breeding season, so expect more activity at your oriole feeder during summer months. But otherwise, cardinals will only occasionally snack on the nectar and jelly meant for orioles.
Do Grackles, Blackbirds, and Starlings eat from oriole feeders?
Unfortunately, these larger bullies – common grackles, European starlings, and red-winged blackbirds – often take over backyard feeders meant for smaller birds. Their larger bodies and assertive behavior lets them dominate feeders.
These birds love sweet liquids and jelly, so they will readily sample and feed from oriole nectar stations. Grackles in particular have figured out how to dangle upside down from the feeder ports. Here are some ways to combat them:
- Invest in a feeder that closes or tilts to dump bird bullies.
- Use feeders with small ports and bee guards that block access to larger beaks.
- Coat perches with hot pepper gel or spray repellent.
- Employ a bird cage setup to block larger birds.
- Take down your feeder when dominated by these birds.
Unfortunately, when grackles, blackbirds and starlings move into an area, they are very difficult to deter. Taking down feeders for a period is sometimes the only way to discourage them.
Will finches feed from my oriole feeders?
Smaller birds like American goldfinches, purple finches, and house finches may occasionally try to feed from oriole nectar feeders. During summer months when less natural food is available, they sample new food sources more readily.
Finches have slim pointed beaks capable of accessing some oriole feeder ports. They are also drawn to the bright colors of these feeders. To deter finches, try these methods:
- Offer finch feeders with thistle seed away from the oriole station.
- Use feeders with smaller ports and built-in bee guards.
- Employ caged feeders that allow oriole access but deter smaller birds.
- Coat perches with hot pepper gel to discourage finches.
Goldfinches in particular love visiting oriole feeders for the nectar. Providing separate finch feeders can help divert them away from your oriole station. Otherwise, finches will only be an occasional visitor sampling the nectar.
Do Chickadees and Titmice eat from oriole feeders?
Chickadees, titmice and other small songbirds don’t generally feed from specialized oriole nectar feeders. The feeder ports are too large and inaccessible for their tiny beaks.
However, chickadees and titmice will feed from small cup-style feeders filled with jelly or fruit meant for orioles. You may see tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees, and other small songbirds occasionally sampling these food offerings.
To deter them from your specialized oriole feeders, follow these tips:
- Use caged feeder designs that allow oriole access but block smaller birds.
- Employ feeders with small 0.5 inch ports and integrated bee guards.
- Coat fruit cup perches with hot pepper gel to deter smaller birds.
- Offer chickadees and titmice black oil sunflower seed at separate feeders.
Chickadees and titmice may try any new food source. But ultimately, they cannot easily access the nectar ports on a quality oriole feeder.
Will squirrels take over my oriole feeders?
Backyard squirrels are extremely attracted to the sweet nectar inside oriole feeders. Clever squirrels will devise all kinds of ingenious ways to access the sugary liquid and fruit jelly.
Squirrels will chew through plastic and wood feeders or dismantle rubber gaskets. They will also scale feeder poles and hang upside down from ports. Here are some squirrel deterrents to try:
- Invest in a steelmesh squirrel baffle to block access.
- Use a feeder cage setup that allows oriole access but deters squirrels.
- Coat feeder poles with petroleum jelly or hot pepper gel.
- Employ weight-sensitive feeders that close down when squirrels access it.
- Supplement squirrel diet with corn cobs away from feeders.
Squirrels are extremely challenging to outsmart. A quality squirrel baffle paired with a weight-sensitive feeder is your best bet for deterring them.
Do Robins ever try to eat from oriole feeders?
American robins frequently sample new food sources in backyards. When fruit jelly is present at an oriole feeder, robins will sometimes eat it. Robins also love orange halves, another staple oriole feeder offering.
However, robins do not have the correct beak shape and size to access the specialized nectar ports. They can only eat the jelly and fruit left out in open cups.
To deter robins, try these methods:
- Use jelly feeder cups with weighted perches too small for robins.
- Offer jelly and fruit away from the main oriole nectar feeder.
- Scare off robins with harmless noisemakers and repellents.
- Protect fruit and jelly cups with wire cages that allow oriole access.
Robins are mainly a concern when fruit and jelly is left out in open cups. Specialized nectar feeders with ports are inaccessible as a feeding source for robins.
Will sparrows steal nectar from my oriole feeder?
House sparrows are another backyard bird pest that can become a problem at feeders. However, sparrows typically do not have the right beak shape and size to access oriole nectar properly.
Sparrows prefer millet and mixed bird seeds offered at standard tube feeders. They mainly eat small grains and insects. Here are some ways to deter house sparrows:
- Employ feeders with small perch space, which deters sparrows.
- Use weighted perches that close feeder ports when landed on.
- Coat perches and feeder roof with slippery petroleum jelly.
- Install a cage setup that allows oriole access but deters sparrows.
Sparrows may still persist and sample the nectar and fruit from time to time. But ultimately, oriole feeders do not cater to the dietary preferences and habits of house sparrows.
Conclusion
The bright colors and sweet nectar of oriole feeders will attract a wide variety of backyard birds looking for an easy meal. However, the specialized port shapes, perches, and bee guards prevent most birds from properly accessing the nectar.
Only orioles and hummingbirds can comfortably feed from a properly designed oriole nectar feeder. Discouraging occasional nibblers like blue jays or grackles takes some persistence. But investing in a quality feeder tailored for orioles will reward you with a closeup view of these beautiful birds.