— Imagine my surprise when I looked out my kitchen window and noticed a different bird was drinking from the hummingbird feeder. The surprise got even better when I realized I was looking at a couple of Baltimore Orioles. I had never seen them in our backyard before.
I had to do some research about these birds. Here are some facts about them. They are named after the city of Baltimore, Maryland. That city’s flag and coat of arms feature the same orange and black colors as the bird’s plumage. In the photos I feature here, I actually had to tone down the orange saturation because it was being affected by the direct sunlight on the bird’s plumage. Based on my findings, these are male orioles. They are the only North American bird with a completely orange body as you see here. The female is more subdued and shows an olive-green back and yellow underparts.
As you can see in the last photo here, Baltimore Orioles are known for their acrobatic flying skills, as they often hang upside down from branches while feeding. Here you can see how easy he made it look to hang sideways on the birdfeeder wire. Orioles are migratory birds. My guess is that these fellows are on their way to Central and South America, where they winter. They can winter as far south as the northernmost states in Brazil. They return to North America in the spring to breed.
If you would like to attract Baltimore Orioles to your backyard, you can provide them with orange slices, grape jelly, or a hummingbird feeder. I guess they like that sugary water.
If you like birds, you might check out the Birds of the Week blog for more birds around the world.
That’s a lovely and surprising set of photos. I didn’t know they wintered in Brazil.
It would be good to have them on Bird of the Week, don’t you think?
Thanks for your feedback. I was really surprised to see them at the hummingbird feeder. They keep coming back. What I read said they only go as far as the northern states in Brazil. Still, it’s a long way there.
What is the Bird of the Week that you mention?
It is a weekly invitation to show your photos or observations of birds: https://anotherglobaleater.wordpress.com/bird-of-the-week-invitation/
Let’s see if I’ll get this right. I’ve added the tag “Bird of the Week” to that post and put a link to your page of Bird of the Week. I’ll also make a comment on the latest entry on your site. Let me know if anything else is needed. Thanks for your assistance and suggestion.
Thank you. It worked, as you would have now seen.
Lovely images. ?
Thank you very much, Pepper.
They can definitely brighten up any view from a window. Beautifully captured! Those orange hues are not easy to tame.
Thanks, Nes. The early morning sun was pretty strong on them. Add to that the fact everyone will see the photos in different environments. It’s hard to predict if the colors will be washed out or too saturated.
Un uccellino bellissimo!
Grazie, Luisella. I loro colori sono davvero belli.
What a charmingly exotic place your birdfeeder is!
Thanks, Margaret. I am glad that humminbirds and other birds are taking full advantage of those feeders.