Orioles are beautiful birds that can add a pop of color to backyards across North America. With their bright orange and black plumage, orioles are a sight to behold. Attracting orioles to your yard with the right type of feeder and food can allow you to observe their interesting behaviors and gorgeous colors up close.
What do Orioles eat?
Orioles are specially adapted to eat certain foods that other backyard birds do not. Their diet consists mainly of insects, fruit, nectar, and sugar water. Some of their favorite foods include:
- Insects: beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders
- Fruit: berries, oranges, grapes, cherries
- Nectar: from flowers like honeysuckles and trumpet vines
- Sugar water
Orioles have slender, pointed beaks that are perfect for piercing fruit and sipping nectar. They also have strong beaks that can break through tough exoskeletons to eat beetles and other insects.
What feeders work best for orioles?
The best bird feeders for orioles provide the nectar and sugar water that these birds rely on. Here are some top options:
Nectar feeders
Nectar feeders are designed specifically for orioles and hummingbirds. These feeders have small perches and feeding ports that orioles can easily access. The nectar mix offered in these feeders is appetizing to orioles. Make your own nectar by mixing 1 part white table sugar with 4 parts hot water. Do not add red food coloring, as this can be harmful to birds.
Oriole jelly feeders
Orioles love jelly! Offering jelly in specially designed clear glass or plastic feeders is a great way to feed these birds. Use natural fruit jellies and jams, avoiding anything artificially colored or flavored. Cherry, grape, strawberry, and orange marmalade are top choices.
Fruit feeders
Whole fruits can also be placed in platform feeders or skewered onto branches. Try grapes, oranges, cherries, apples, or berries. Just be sure to keep the fruit fresh so it does not rot or ferment.
Suet feeders
While orioles eat mainly nectar, fruit, and insects, they will occasionally feed on suet as well. Try offering insect suet to attract them.
Sugar water feeders
Similar to hummingbird feeders, these feeders provide an oriole-friendly sugar water solution. Use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Avoid adding red food coloring.
Feeder and food tips
Follow these tips to get the most success from oriole feeders:
- Place feeders near trees, shrubs, and sources of natural food to make orioles comfortable approaching them.
- Hang feeders 10-15 feet off the ground where orioles can see predators coming.
- Use bright colors like orange and yellow to attract orioles.
- Clean feeders thoroughly at least once per week with mild soap and water to prevent mold.
- Toss out old nectar, jelly, or sugar water to avoid fermentation.
- Experiment with different styles of feeders to see which ones orioles prefer.
- Avoid using red food coloring, as it is unhealthy for birds.
- Grapes or cherries can be halved or quartered if whole fruits are too big for orioles to eat comfortably.
- Replenish fruit every couple days when it starts looking dried out.
- Squirrels may hog fruit feeders, so try to place them in open spots that are accessible to orioles but not squirrels.
Best overall feeders
With all the different types of oriole feeders available, which are really the best? Here are top picks bird experts recommend:
Feeder | Description |
---|---|
Songbird Essentials SEiOSGLE Oriole Feeder | This bright orange feeder has convenient perches, a large reservoir, and slots to skewer fruit onto. It provides everything orioles need in one simple design. |
Birds Choice Oriole Fest Oriole Feeder | With a glass nectar reservoir and built-in jelly wells, this feeder allows you to offer both liquid and jelly oriole foods. |
Squirrel Buster Oriole Orange Feeder | The adjustable weight-sensitive perches keep squirrels out while letting orioles feed in peace. |
While fancy features can help, don’t underestimate basic jelly feeders, nectar feeders, or simple fruit platters for attracting orioles. They aren’t overly picky and will visit any style of feeder that offers their favorite treats.
When and where to see orioles
To spot orioles coming to your feeders, it helps to know when and where to look for them. Here are some tips:
- Orioles migrate north in spring to breed and summer in most of the eastern and central United States and southern Canada.
- The main spring migration period is from late April through May.
- In southern states like Florida and Texas, orioles can be present year-round.
- Orioles winter in Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands after breeding season.
- Baltimore and orchard orioles like forest edges, riverbanks, open woodlands, and backyards with tall trees. Bullock’s orioles prefer more open habitats.
- Fruiting trees, shrubs, and nectar plants help draw orioles to your yard.
- Early mornings and late afternoons are when oriole activity peaks.
If you don’t see orioles right away at your new feeder setup, be patient. Try moving the feeders around your yard to find the perfect spot. Orioles are active birds and will discover new feeders within a few days in most cases.
Identifying common oriole species
If you see an oriole enjoying your feeder, how can you identify what species it is? Here is a quick guide to the most widespread oriole species:
Baltimore Oriole
- Breeds across eastern North America
- Bright orange males and duller yellow-orange females
- Black heads and wings with white wing bars
- Thinner, sharper beaks than other orioles
Orchard Oriole
- Breed in central and eastern states
- Chestnut brown bodies with black heads
- Males have reddish undersides, females are yellowish
- Smaller and slimmer than Baltimore Orioles
Bullock’s Oriole
- Found across western North America
- Orange bodies and black crowns, faces, wings, and tails
- White wing patches visible in flight
- Pointed gray bills matched to slender shape
Scott’s Orioles and Hooded Orioles are two other western species you may encounter. Familiarize yourself with your regional orioles to identify them by sight and enjoy observing their behaviors.
Attracting orioles to your yard
It takes more than just a feeder packed with sugary food to bring orioles to visit. You’ll have better luck if you landscape your yard with plants that provide what orioles need for food and shelter. Here are some tips:
- Plant native nectar-producing flowers like trumpet vines, columbines, and honeysuckles.
- Include berry or fruit producing shrubs and trees like mulberries, serviceberries, and crabapples.
- Choose taller deciduous trees like maples, oaks, and willows to give orioles places to perch and nest.
- Ensure open access by pruning dense bushes and removing low branches on trees.
- Provide a source of water like a fountain, pond, or bath.
- Avoid pesticides that could poison the insects orioles feed on.
By gardening with orioles in mind, your backyard habitat will be welcoming to them during spring and summer months.
Enjoying orioles that visit your yard
Seeing brilliant orange and black orioles enliven your yard with activity and color is a reward for gardeners who have worked to attract them. Here are some ways to make the most of your oriole visitors:
- Watch males sing from high perches to mark their breeding territories.
- See them gather nesting materials like grasses, threads, feathers and fibers.
- Observe them probing flowers for nectar.
- Listen for their flutelike, melodic whistling songs.
- Look for intricately woven hanging basket nests in trees.
- Spy on puzzling behaviors like their nectar-thieving anting, where they coat bugs with nectar.
Keep binoculars and a bird guide handy to pick up on fascinating oriole behaviors. Maintaining your feeders and landscaping will ensure orioles keep coming back summer after summer.
Conclusion
Orioles are highly rewarding birds to host in your yard, thanks to their aesthetic appeal and engaging behaviors. By offering specialized feeders stocked with their preferred foods like nectar, jelly, and fruit, you can attract orioles to feed in easy view. Pair supplemental feeders with an oriole-friendly landscape containing flowers, shrubs, and trees that provide food and shelter. With some planning and strategic placement of feeders, you’ll be graced with visits from these boldly-patterned, energetic birds all summer long.