THE BIRD OF THE WEEK: ORIOLES

SPRING IS HERE!!!

And so are ORIOLES - our bird of the week!

These wild birds are stikingly beautiful! Because of their beautiful black, orange or yellow plumage, their distinctive whistle, spring songs, and their amazing suspended nests, which we'll plan to look at further.

ORIOLES are quickly becoming one of Americas favorite wildbirds. While over eight species of Orioles can regularly be seen in the United States, we want to look at the "Major Three" species - Baltimore, Bullocks and Orchard.

ALL United States Orioles show variation on the theme of black with yellow or orange plumage.

Except for in the Southeast, all Orioles are tropical migrants. While migrations vary from year-to-year, Orioles generally arrive in the South in early spring.

Midwest in early May, and further North soon afterward. It is very important that you have Oriole feeders up and ready, or often they will pass you by for better feeding grounds. It is equally important to have nesting materials out and ready to help encourage Orioles to nest in your yard.

Although studies are still being done on how much we can tempt Orioles to nest, by birdhouses, in backyards, by summer's end, migrating Orioles are headed back south to their tropical winter homes in Central and South America.

It does appear that Baltimore Orioles (Not the Major League Baseball Team) ranges are expanding, while Bullocks and Orchard Orioles are declining.

ALL Orioles need and benefit from your help. You can help by setting up bird feeders, bird food, bird bath and bird seed in your neck of the woods and be a part of the bird feed and housing shortages.

Where nesting material is available, Orioles will defend an area of several acres and start building a pendulous (hanging loosely) nest.

More on Orioles and their feeding habits to come.........