This article is not about the baseball team from Baltimore. It is about the beautiful orange and black Baltimore Orioles. Last year I saw two males and one female hanging in our neighborhood.
The prior year, I saw one around my vegetable garden, but I wasn’t prepared for it.  He got under one of my hoop tunnels with garden fabric over it and couldn’t get out.  After I helped him, he flew away. I didn’t see him again that summer.
So here is some information on Baltimore Orioles and tips on how to attract them . .
Appearance: While the male Baltimore Oriole has a black head and beak, it is famous for a bright orange belly. Also, the male has black wings with white and orange streaks on them. Their tail is orange with black streaks. The featured oriole above is the male. The female Baltimore Oriole’s head, belly and tail is more of a pale yellow with orange highlights.  Sometimes the female will have more of a brown head. The female’s wings are gray brown with white streaks and her beak is gray.
Feeding Habits:  Baltimore Orioles are attracted to the color orange which is why I got the orange colored feeder. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, they will still come to a feeder that provides fruit, and nectar (sugar water). As for fruit, I put out tangelos, oranges or tangerines cut in half and organic blackberry and grape jelly.  They also enjoy going after insects.
Nesting Habits:Â Â Baltimore Orioles like to build a nest that dangles from a tree branch.
Migration:Â Since they migrate from South America, we only see them in the summer in Pennsylvania from May through September.
