By Casey First
The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is one of the most recognizable and iconic songbirds in North America. It was named for the colors of Lord Baltimore’s family crest, which matches its plumage. This vibrant orange decoration is unmistakable and adds a splash of color to backyards across much of the eastern US and, like the sight of a Robin, signals the start of spring to many. They’re the State Bird of Maryland and the namesake of Baltimore’s Major League baseball team.
David Ballard, artist
Medium-sized birds (about the size of a Robin), they belong to the Blackbird family. Adult males have flame orange underbodies and lower backs, with solid black heads and singular white bars on their black outer feathers. The female counterpart has a much more subdued yellow-orange body with dark gray outer wings that have two white bars. Baltimore Orioles have a short, stout tail and a thick and pointy bill that is perfect for plunging deep into sugar-laden dark fruits like raspberries, mulberries, purple grapes and tart cherries. They also eat nectar. Both the sugar from fruits and nectar is converted into fat, which helps them fuel up during times of migration in the autumn months.
In spring and summer, a large portion of their diet consists of insects like caterpillars, beetles, moths, flies and grasshoppers. Because of their abundant numbers, wide range and adaptable diet, they readily come to backyard bird feeders. Try offering cut oranges, natural jellies and nectar to lure them close and keep them coming back, but don’t get discouraged if you hardly see them here in Western North Carolina. They are not nearly as abundant in our neck of the woods as they are in other parts of the eastern and central US, where they spend their summers breeding. The elevation of the Appalachians may be one reason we don’t see them as often, as is the case with some other bird species.
During the winter months, these Orioles migrate south to warmer and sunnier regions in the tropics of Central America, the Caribbean and northern parts of South America. If you are in an area where they are more populous during the summer months, listen for their flute-like songs or look up to the top of the tree lines. Baltimore Orioles love to perch high above, jetting from tree to tree in search of crawling insects. If you happen to see a rather unique sock-like nest hanging equally as high, there’s a good chance it’s from the same Oriole. Woven together like an intricate piece of art, the female will gather various fibers, vines, barks and even twine and string to curate a pouch that hangs down from a single branch. Inside, she will line it with fine wool, cotton, hair and various grasses to create a soft cocoon for the roughly four to six eggs she will lay.
Once born, the offspring will dwell in the same open woodlands with their parents, favoring areas with deciduous trees like elms, maples and cottonwoods. Whether spotted in a serene woodland area or in your own backyard, the Baltimore Oriole is a songbird with the orange color that is part of the quintessential tapestry of birds we are known to admire in the eastern United States, much like the red of the Cardinal, the blue of the Bluebird and the yellow of the Goldfinch.
Casey First is owner of North Asheville Wild Birds Unlimited, located at 946 Merrimon Avenue, Suite 120. Monthly bird events are free and open to the public, with no registration required. To learn more, visit NorthAsheville.wbu.com. Artist David Ballard lives in Candler. Find his work on Instagram at d.ballard.art.
