Attracting & Feeding Orioles

by Stan Tekiela

Overview

Learn to attract and feed a variety of orioles with this pocket-sized guide.

The flaming orange of the male Baltimore Oriole is always splendid to see. And the oriole’s familiar series of whistle songs pleasantly reminds us that spring has arrived. You love these beloved birds, and you want to see them visiting your backyard or garden. Professional naturalist and award-winning author Stan Tekiela teaches you all that you need to know about orioles—including orchard, Bullock’s, and other oriole species.

The handy book is divided into three main sections. First, you’ll learn all about orioles: facts, range, habitat, songs, nests, and more. Up next, you’ll be introduced to the fruit and other sweet treats that keep orioles coming back. In the third section, Stan tells you which feeders orioles prefer and why. You’ll also be given information on placing feeders and cleaning feeders.

Find out how to make your yard into a habitat that orioles will love. Then enjoy Stan’s oriole photography, trivia, and quick tips. This is truly your guide to attracting and feeding orioles!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647553388
Publisher:	Adventure Publications, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/08/2022
Series:	Backyard Bird Feeding Guides
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Naturalist, wildlife photographer and writer Stan Tekiela is the author of more than 190 field guides, nature books, children’s books, wildlife audio CDs, puzzles and playing cards, presenting many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, trees, wildflowers and cacti in the United States. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural History from the University of Minnesota and as an active professional naturalist for more than 30 years, Stan studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and Canada. He has received various national and regional awards for his books and photographs. Also a well-known columnist and radio personality, his syndicated column appears in more than 25 newspapers and his wildlife programs are broadcast on a number of Midwest radio stations.

Read an Excerpt

Feeder Types

Grape Jelly Feeder: Some of the best jelly feeders are large, plastic or wooden feeders with a couple holes to hold small plastic cups. These are often covered with a roof of some sort to keep out rain. They are usually orange and can hang from a hook at a feeding station or may be mounted on top of a pole. However, just about any small container will work to hold grape jelly. You can reuse a small margarine tub, for example, and screw it to a scrap of wood. A plastic container that can hold just two or three large spoonfuls of grape jelly is all that is needed.

Sugar Water Feeder: These oriole feeders are often flat, plate-like structures with a number of openings where the birds can insert their beaks and get the sugar water. They are typically orange and look very similar to hummingbird feeders. Often they have a central metal pin or stalk from which the feeder hangs. Sugar water feeders frequently have built-in ant moats that you fill with water or vegetable oil to stop ants from getting to the nectar. They come apart easily, which makes for trouble-free cleaning.

Orange Half Feeder: Constructed of wood and often looks like a tiny house with a miniature roof. All styles have a nail or screw for impaling an appealing orange half. A large landing pad or place for orioles to stand while feeding on the fruit is critical.

Mealworm Feeder: Sometimes just a small, plastic butter tub works well to offer orioles mealworms. A shallow dish or a water dish from a flowerpot can also double as a good mealworm feeder.

Many types of mealworm feeders have “gates” to keep out some larger birds while allowing orioles and other smaller birds to enter. These effectively stop some birds from flying in and scarfing down all the mealworms in one visit.

Window Feeder: Typically made of clear plastic and usually a small feeder trimmed in bright red or orange. Suction cups hold this lightweight apparatus tightly to window surfaces. These feeders are great for attracting orioles to see up close. They don’t hold a lot of nectar and need to be refilled often, but they are easy to open and clean.

Placing Feeders

Feeding orioles is a wonderful way to enhance your backyard feeding stations. Placement of oriole feeders is very similar to the placement of your seed feeders. You can add orange halves to your current feeders just about anywhere they will fit. Just pound a nail into a wooden feeder and gently twist on an orange half.

You can also wedge an orange half in the fork of a tree branch if you don’t have a lot of squirrels. These critters will dislodge the orange and take it away to eat.

All feeding stations should be placed in clear view of your house. After all, we feed birds to see and admire the many colorful species coming and going and to enjoy the lively activity. So the best feeding stations are those that include different kinds of feeders.

Feeding stations need to be in places that will help deter pesky squirrels, raucous raccoons and bears. To keep squirrels away from the food, attach a standard squirrel baffle to each feeder pole, following the basic placement rules of 5 and 8 feet. That means feeders should be at least 5 feet off the ground and at least 8 feet from any other surface from which a squirrel can jump. This includes trees, houses, sheds, charcoal or gas grills, birdbaths, patio furniture and anything else a squirrel can climb to jump onto the feeders.

Table of Contents

All About Orioles

• Facts
• Range & Habitat
• Songs & Calls
• Nests
• Eggs, Chicks & Juveniles
• Oriole Trivia

Feeding Orioles

• Feeding Q&A

Oriole Feeders

• Feeder Types
• Placing Feeders

Maintaining Feeders & Good Practices

• Cleaning Your Feeders

About the Author