Oriole Bird Feeders – Attracting Orioles with an Oriole Feeder

Orioles migrate annually so in most of the US we don’t get to see them for most of the winter months. The advantage to that is that we have the opportunity each spring to attract them as they move into our area. Of course one of the best ways to do that is with an oriole bird feeder. Let’s look at some ways to attract the orioles to our feeder.

Orioles are migratory birds, that don’t spend their winters in the US, except for small areas in the Southwest. In the Midwest the most common birds are Northern (Baltimore) Orioles and Orchard Orioles. They spend much of the summer in the northern states, but it’s important to have your feeder set up and ready to attract birds when they arrive. They often arrive a week or so after the hummingbirds come to your area.

You can track the hummingbird migration at http://www.hummingbirds.net For many parts of the US this is around the first of May.



Orioles will migrate at night, so they may seem to appear from nowhere in your yard. While they will feed on insects, early in the season after the effort of migration, they seem to be most attracted to feeders, with their high energy nectar and fruit.

Orioles don’t eat the usual bird seed, and so their feeders are different in construction. They look similar to a hummingbird feeder. An oriole feeder will provide oriole nectar (similar to hummingbird nectar), and in addition can supply fruit slices or jelly for the birds. Because orioles don’t have the long narrow beak of hummingbirds, a hummingbird feeder that has bee guards will not typically be a good substitute.

Placing your oriole feeder high (for example on a tree or under the overhang on your house) is a favored perch for these birds.

Orioles favor orange, so both the nectar and the feeders often are orange. It’s really not necessary to color the nectar orange, but much of the commercially available nectar is already colored.

Many oriole feeders will hold pieces of fruit like orange and apple halves as well. Another food that is very attractive to orioles are jellies, such as grape jelly. Just like hummingbird feeders, it’s important to keep the feeder clean and free from fungus. You should replace the nectar solution every few days, and keep the feeder clean. Here are some pointers on cleaning a hummingbird feeder. Be quick to remove spoiled fruit quickly too.

Once you do attract some orioles to your feeder, be sure to keep the feeder stocked as they will be quick to move on if the food supply disappears for even short time.