The Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) is a small icterid blackbird common in eastern North America as a
migratory breeding bird. It received its name from the resemblance of the
male's colours to those on the coat-of-arms of Lord Baltimore.
Observations of
interbreeding between the Baltimore oriole and western Bullock's
oriole, Icterus bullockii,
led to both being classified as a single species, called the northern oriole, from 1973 to
1995.
Research by James Rising, a
professor of zoology at the University of Toronto, and others showed that the
two birds actually did not interbreed significantly.
Oriole, any of about 30 species of birds of
the Old World genus Oriolus, family Oriolidae, or, in the New World,
any of 30 species of Icterus, family Icteridae. Both are families of perching birds. Males of either group typically are black and yellow
or black and orange, with some white.
Females tend to be plainer.
They are shy and not easily seen in the treetops but may be detected by their
loud whistling and jarring notes. All are insect eaters (several species also
take much fruit) in woodlands and gardens, chiefly in warm regions.
The only European species is
the 24-cm (9.5-inch) golden oriole, which
ranges eastward to Central Asia and India. It
is yellow, with dark eye marks and black wings. The African golden oriole is
similar.
The maroon oriole of
the Himalayas to Indochina is one of the Asian species of oriole that have a
glowing crimson colouring instead of the ordinary yellow one. Northern
Australia has the yellow oriole which is strictly a fruit eater.
The icterids of the New
World were first called orioles by the early American settlers because the
birds’ black-and-yellow patterns resembled those of the true orioles of Europe.
Among the icterids is the
well-known Baltimore oriole, which breeds in North America east of the Rockies; it is black, white, and golden
orange. In western North America is the closely related Bullock’s oriole.
The orchard
oriole,
black and chestnut, occurs over the eastern United States and Mexico. Among the
tropical forms of icterids are the epaulet oriole and the troupial.
What Orioles eat:
There are nine different
types of orioles that regularly visit the United States and Canada, and while
their ranges are vastly different, their feeding preferences are remarkably
similar. All of these birds have a strong sweet tooth, and they prefer foods that
offer not only the proper nutrition, but also have a touch of sugar.
Which bird species prefers which food can vary, but
a mixture of these foods can attract orioles to your feeders easily. Popular oriole foods
include:
1. Insects, mealworms,
and wasps
2. Nectar,
either commercial mixes or homemade sugar water
3. Flowers and flower pieces, such as buds
4. Fruits,
particularly oranges, apples, peaches, berries, and bananas
5. Bread and other kitchen scraps (as
very rare treats)
6. Suet mixed with bits of fruit, berries, or peanut butter
7. Jelly, especially grape jelly and orange marmalade
8. Fresh, frozen, or dried peas
The bright orange, black,
and yellow plumage of
orioles is a striking contrast to many less colourful backyard birds, and their
rich, musical song is welcome to the ears.
These aren’t the only
reasons orioles are highly desirable backyard birds, however. Because their
preferred foods are nectar, fruit, and jelly, they do not scatter seeds
throughout the yard that may grow in unwanted places.
Orioles also eat a wide
range of insects, providing natural, effective pest control in the garden and
yard.
How
to Attract the Beautiful Orioles?
Backyard birders who know
how to attract orioles with the four basic necessities of a bird’s
life—food, water, shelter, and nesting sites—can take
advantage of all orioles have to offer.
1.
Food:
Feeding orioles is
easy, whether you offer orange halves, dishes of
grape jelly, or
specialized nectar. Planting berry-producing bushes, fruit trees, and
nectar-producing flowers are also ways to offer orioles natural food sources.
Feeders should be clean and conspicuous, and
keep the food fresh to attract the most birds. Pesticide use should be
minimized or avoided entirely to ensure a healthy, rich source of insects.
2. Water:
All birds need
water for cleaning and bathing, and orioles are especially attracted to shallow
bird baths and moving water.
Choose a bird bath with a wide but shallow
basin and add a bubbler or dripper for splashes and sparkles to attract the
most birds. A bird bath with orange decorations or a terra cotta basin can also
catch orioles’ attention.
3. Shelter:
Orioles are shy
birds that are typically solitary, though they may be found in pairs during the
nesting season or in small groups after young birds have fledged. Offering
protected spaces such as leafy deciduous trees and dense shrubs will make the
birds feel more secure and welcome.
Choose trees and shrubs that are native to your region so the birds will recognize them more easily, and opt for clumps of trees in thicket-like arrangements rather than solitary or isolated plantings.
4. Nesting Sites:
While orioles do not nest in bird house, you can encourage them to build their nests in your yard if you have willow, elm, oak, poplar, cottonwood, or similar trees. To make the area even more attractive, offer nesting material such as pet fur, hair, or 3-4-inch lengths of yarn or thread for the birds to weave into their nests.
10 facts about Orioles:
1. Orioles construct a hanging,
gourd-shaped nest at the end of a tree branch in spring. They do not use
nesting boxes, but will nest in your yard if you have fairly tall trees nearby.
It usually takes female orioles about a week to build a nest, but in bad weather, it can take as long as 15 days. Females are known for their skill at weaving. They weave a nest about 4 inches deep and 4 inches across, with a small opening at the top about 2 to 3 inches wide.
2. The Baltimore and Bullock’s
oriole were considered the same species, called the Northern oriole, until the
1990s when genetic testing helped separate them.
As many as nine different types of orioles will show up in North America, but of those, only five are common: the Bullock’s, Baltimore, hooded, orchard and Scott’s.
3. Though given the common name “oriole”, American orioles are not actually a part of the oriole family, Oriolidae. True orioles are native to the Old World, and our American birds were named because of their resemblance to these European cousins. Orioles are in the blackbird family
4. Adult males are much more brightly coloured than females. Look for distinctive markings to identify them. The male Baltimore oriole has full black hood and fire-orange plumage.
The female is drab yellow with dusky-brown wings. Young males do not grow their full adult plumage until their second fall.
5. The Baltimore oriole winters in Florida and Central America. It migrates north starting in late winter, arriving in the southeast throughout April to begin mating and nesting. But some lately are staying put year-round, provided they can find enough food. Learn more about Baltimore oriole migration.
6. Unlike robins and many other fruit-eating birds, Baltimore Orioles seem to prefer only ripe, dark-coloured fruit. Orioles seek out the darkest mulberries, the reddest cherries, and the deepest-purple grapes, and will ignore green grapes and yellow cherries even if they are ripe.
7. Baltimore Orioles got their name from their bold orange-and-black plumage: they sport the same colours as the heraldic crest of England’s Baltimore family (who also gave their name to Maryland’s largest city).
8. Baltimore Orioles sometimes use their slender beaks to feed in an unusual way, called “gaping”: they stab the closed bill into soft fruits, then open their mouths to cut a juicy swath from which they drink with their brushy-tipped tongue.
9. The Baltimore Oriole hybridizes extensively with the Bullock's Oriole where their ranges overlap in the Great Plains. The two species were considered the same for a while and called the Northern Oriole, but in the 1990s, after genetic studies, they were separated again.
10. Young male Baltimore Orioles do not molt into
bright-orange adult plumage until the fall of their second year. Still, a few
first-year males in drab, female-like plumage succeed in attracting a mate and
raising young.
Females become deeper orange with every molt; some older females are almost as bright orange as males.
The Baltimore oriole is
fairly common breeding bird in the north-western part of North Carolina, but
quite uncommon in the Piedmont. Thus, it’s surprising that a pair has nested at
Tanglewood Park for several years.
In years past, its nest
could be found in a huge walnut tree behind the Manor House, but more recently
it’s chosen walnut trees along the parking area at Mallard Lake. The large
number of species in the genus is probably due to geographic isolation.
When a population is
separated into two groups that are isolated from each other, they will, over a
period of time, evolve in different directions and will ultimately become
different enough that they’re considered two different species.
Written by – Sakshi Chauhan
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