Perhaps while hiking through the woods one afternoon out of the corner of your eye you see a discarded Reeses wrapper hanging in a tree. Now you are pondering on whether you should go pick it up or not when all of a sudden it MOVES on its OWN ! That is when you realize you are in the presence of the majestic adult male Baltimore Oriole. This beauty of a bird sports a magnificent coat of black and orange. Has a refined taste when it comes to fruit. Gets its name from a coat of arms dating back to 17th century England and has a baseball team named after it! This bird is in a class by itself.
What's in a name ?
The Baltimore Oriole got its name because its black and orange coat resembles Lord Baltimores coat-of-arms. Lord Baltimore was the first proprietor of Maryland and is considered to be its founder. Maryland is also home to the Baltimore Orioles baseball team which is named after the Baltimore Oriole and has a Baltimore Oriole for a mascot.
Diet
The Baltimore Oriole will eat bugs, spiders, insects, nectar, and a variety of fruit. When it comes to fruit the Baltimore Oriole prefers dark and ripe fruit such as dark cherries, dark mulberry's and dark purple grapes. Often ignoring light fruits such as green grapes and yellow cherries. They also like halved oranges and grape jelly. If you want to attract them set out some grape jelly or hang up some halved oranges. Keep in mind if they find a well maintained feeder Baltimore Orioles have been known to lead there young there.
Location, Location, Location
During the summer Baltimore orioles live in eastern North America. The northern range extending from the Canadian prairies and eastern Montana through southern Quebec and New Brunswick and south through central Mississippi, Alabama and northern Georgia. They migrate south to the southeastern United States, Central, and Southern America where they stay until April.
Nesting/Mating
The Baltimore Oriole's mating ritual begins similarly to lots of other birds where the male picks a piece of territory and tries to attract a female. The male uses song and may show of with a visual bow display. The male will bow with wings lowered and tail feathers fanned. Once the female selects a mate she begins building a nest. Bag Of Birds- Oriole nests are VERY interesting and unique. The male may help bring material to the site but only the female builds. She uses fine plant and animal material to weave a tight pouch that hangs on the end of a stick. Once completed the nest looks almost like a hairy gourd hanging from the tree. The female lays between three to seven eggs. Incubation takes twelve to fourteen days. Once the eggs hatch you have yourself a " Bag of Birds ". And the cycle of life begins again.
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