i have a pair every spring ,but cant get them to use my feeders,sugar water and a plat form grape jelly feeder,no ants.i know they are nesting here,found a nest pouch in the yard,also they sing beautifully
baltimore oriole & northern oriole
Hi hug, I guess you mean a pair of Baltimore Orioles?
Are the Oriole feeders away from other bird feeders and near to a spot where they can quickly get to cover in case a hawk etc. shows up?
That's great that their nesting near you!
I don't have the Baltimore, but I do have the Hooded and Bullock's here now and nesting.
A couple years ago when I first saw them trying to eat the sugar water from my hummer feeders, I felt sorry for them and removed one of the flowers from each of the feeders making the hole larger. Since then, the birds quickly learn which hole they can get the sugar water more easily.
pelletory,yes baltimore oriole,yes plenty of cover,how far is far,platform is a good 25 ft away,but the sugar water feeder is close to the other feeders,iam afraid if i keep moving them i will ne ver get them to settle in to my feeders,although they are here i should be glad!!!
If they haven't been to the nectar feeder yet I would move it closer to the platform feeder.
Unless there is lots of natural foods there I don't know why they wouldn't be using your feeders. Maybe their eating lots of bugs right now for protein.
pelletory,actully they are not here yet , i was reffering to last year,are they attracted to the color of the feeder at all?? that really probly dosent matter,I made a platform feeder out of a storage tub lid ,mounted it on feeder pole,painted it orange,attached 2 ball jars lids,empty tuna cans fit perfect,easy clean(for grape jelly).I put out 3 sugar water feeders .we live on the front 3 acres of a 60 acre woods,large tall trees ,open area around the house,but woods on the north and east.I think I have all the right stuff,cant wait to see what happens this year.
Tamara
Good Luck Tamara! Keep us posted!
Tamara, here is my little set up for the Orioles. My yard is not huge, but this is a bit away from the main feeders. There is a suet feeder on the tree right there. But they can perch in the tree and come down when they want. They nest just across the road, so they can see the area. I have the nectar feeder over on the otherside of the yard under another tree and no other feeders. They seemed to like that arrangement.
Orioles like to be a bit away from other feeders and all the coming & goings of others birds.
Oh, one more thing...you must have the food already out when they arrive or as soon as possible after. They find their food source and don't change much. I will start putting some things out this weekend.
nanny_56,pelletory sounds like i probly should move the orioes feeders,sounds like too much other bird traffic where they are at.we just spent my 50th down in rockville maple syrup fest.thanks for the advice.
Last year was my first time having them. We had at least 2 pairs coming and then bringing their fledglings! That was so much fun for me!
Ahh Ha! So that is why mine liked the feeders that werehung under the group of dogwood trees and NEVER went to the ones out in the yard where all of the other feeders were. I had wondered about that.