The Baltimore Oriole is a highly loved and easily recognized bird. It spends most of its year in the Northeast U.S. and migrates south to Central and South America for winter.
While its preferred habitat is deciduous woodlands, the Baltimore Oriole also frequents parks and backyards. Adult males have bright orange undersides and shoulders with black wings and beaks, while females and juveniles are yellow, orange, dark gray, or brown. The Oriole is a rather tall bird, standing at six to eight inches with a wingspan of nine to twelve inches. It feeds on fruit, nectar, and insects with its long and sharp beak.
The Oriole’s Nest: A Wonder of Nature
The nest of the Baltimore Oriole is indeed unique. The nest hangs from the edge of a branch, safer from predators the further it is from the tree trunk. It appears barely attached to the tree yet proves strong and durable and can even withstand heavy storms. The nest is large, purse-shaped, and made from an intricate weaving process.
Baltimore Oriole Nesting Behavior
The nest building techniques of the Baltimore oriole are unique and inspire awe in birdwatchers and enthusiasts across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States.
Courtship
Before nest building comes courtship. The male arrives from migration two to three days before the female to claim his territory. After he chooses his region, he sings nonstop while flashing his bright plumage and hopping from branch to branch until a mate selects him. They sing a duet to tie the knot.
Nest Location
Once paired, the female chooses the nesting location within the male’s territory. She opts for tall, deciduous trees in open woodland or on the forest edge, typically ten to thirty feet above ground but possibly as high as ninety feet. The tree selected is often an elm, cottonwood, or maple tree.
Structure Construction
Once the location is decided, the Baltimore oriole female gets to work. The male brings her materials from time to time, but most of the work is hers to do alone. She uses strong materials such as animal hair or human-made fibers when creating the nest’s rim, flexible materials for weaving the structure including grapevine, grass, and twine, and sometimes spider silk as a binding agent.
Her building process begins by tying a loop around a twig, which secures the rim of the nest. She then carefully weaves the nest’s structure to this rim- her weaving work done while suspended upside down from the rim of the nest- an impressive feat!
Finishing Touches
Once the structure is complete, it is time to line the inside of the nest to protect the eggs and make it comfortable for the babies. She lines the nest with feathers, fur, and soft plant materials. Finally, she camouflages the nest using gray and white lichen to trick predators and protect her young.
The nest building process lasts roughly one week with the female working day in and day out. The nest is only used for one breeding season, however, the female is likely to return to the nest site to pluck materials for next year’s nest.
Post-Construction
Post-construction, the female lays a clutch of three to six eggs. She incubates the eggs while the male remains nearby, keeping a close watch until the eggs hatch after eleven to fourteen days. While the babies remain in the nest, both mom and dad feed intensively, typically feeding regurgitated insects. Mom sleeps in the nest protecting her babies, while dad roosts nearby in the treetop.
Baltimore Oriole Nest Building Facts
If you’re anything like us, you’re intrigued by the spectacular nest building skills of the Baltimore Oriole and want to know more! Here are some Baltimore Oriole Nesting facts.
- Baltimore Orioles build small nests, typically ranging from four to six inches wide, four to eight inches deep, and two to three inches across.
- They breed in the Northeast and Midwest of the United States, with some pairs going as far north as Canada.
- While these birds don’t like to build nests deep in the brush, they are unlikely to build in your backyard. However, they happily spend time at your backyard feeder!
- Baltimore Orioles nest in the spring, with the peak breeding period being in May. This is delayed if the weather is not accommodating.
- The nest holds three to five eggs. Once hatched, the babies live in the nest for twelve to fourteen days.
- The Baltimore Oriole’s nest is considered one of the great wonders of the avian world.
- The Oriole couple spends the breeding season together, however they do not mate for life and the female will find a new male the following year.
- Orioles, particular about their nests, will not use birdhouses.
- These birds nest in Elm trees, even though they are susceptible to Dutch elm disease.
- The pair will only brood one egg clutch before returning south for the winter, even if the first brood fails.
