Attracting Orioles

[Virgo10]

I have the same thing happen every year. A pair of Orioles show up around here .... and then they move on. They were here yesterday (Masssachusetts). I flew down the street and bought a bag of oranges, cut them in halves, and have them hanging all over the yard. I feel like I'm in Florida! Unless these birds have a vision problem, they can't miss them!

Orioles are on my desired bird list. It's pretty rare that we get interesting birds although this year has been better than most. I have goldfinches, cow birds, cardinals and a pair of nesting Carolina wrens. I want the Orioles to stay!

I've tried the nectar feeders in the past without success. I'm hoping the oranges will do the trick. Any other just outside the city dwellers have any luck with keeping these somewhat elusive birds in their backyards? What's your secret?

Roberta

 

[Snowwark]

That would be so cool if you could get them to hang around a little longer, Roberta. I don't think I've ever seen orioles in my yard.

You seem to already know what they like, but I did see the following mentioned on a website about how to attract them. Do you have any of the plants listed?

"Another sure fire way is to plant fruiting plants like a cherry tree, blackberries, elderberries, mulberries, strawberries, and grapes. You can also plant tubular type flowers, flowering agaves, aloes, cacti, rose-of-Sharon, and hibiscus. "

Kim

 

[amid chaos]

I yell at DH when he is about to toss the almost bad oranges,,,he doesn't get that the orioles will be here any day now! Actually they arrived last week...ate a meal and moved on....I think they live down the street in the cedar trees.

 

[Mamu]

I also get a pair of orioles in the spring. They seem to arrive the same time the quince and crabapple flower. The hang around a few weeks then leave. I sometimes can hear them singing.

I seem to think they like very large deciduous trees to nest in. Not something that I have. Lots of oaks and pines which does not seem to be their choice. While they do not stay, I enjoy their brief visit.

 

[marydmjj]

We don't get orioles or cardinals or anything bright out here. We do have goldfinches but I haven't been able to attract them to my yard. My goal this year is hummingbirds. I put up the nectar feeder and have seen 1 buzz by twice. Hasn't stopped for a drink though.

 

[Mamu]

Mary if you want to lore goldfinches to your yard get a thistle feeder and fill it with black thistle. This is their food of preference while they will eat black oil sunflower seeds, they love the thistle.

This feeder also attracts pine siskin's also.

 

[marydmjj]

Thanks Mamu. I had black thistle in a feeder but it kept molding so I changed to sunflower seeds. Maybe I need to look into a different feeder too.

 

[Virgo10]

Wal-Mart carries thistle socks. They are a mesh fabric bag full of seeds and you can reuse them. The goldfinches cling on to the sides and eat from them off and on all day. I know what you mean about the thistle rotting. I went out and checked my regular bird feeder yesterday and P U! Ended up cleaning it out.

The orioles are still here, at least as of yesterday. I put out two nectar feeders as well even though I haven't had any luck with them before. Maybe I'll pick up a stray hummingbird for my efforts. In the 6 years I've lived here, I've never seen a hummer but my husband has seen two.

Yesterday's new sighting of the day: A Cat Bird. Not new as in I've never seen one but new for seeing one this year.

Roberta

 

[Mamu]

To attract hummingbirds, along with the sugar water feeder, plant red flowers. I hang 2 red and purple fuchsia and plant a circle of salvia in the back of the house. These little guys love both plants and spend the summer here. Everytime I go out the back door their there.

 

[bumcat]

I usually have 4-6 hummingbirds in my backyard but not this year.

We always have cardinals and bluejays.
The newest bird to our backyard is a real pretty woodpecker.

 

[olena]

Put out a big wad of cash and I'll dress up like an Oriole and come visit....