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Saturday, July 16, 2011
I haven’t seen my orioles since the end of June. Where did they go? Isn’t it too early to migrate south? Should I take my oriole feeder down?
Dream Weavers
Baltimore Orioles arrive at their mid-Michigan breeding grounds near the end of April. Soon after the female alone begins to build a nest. This consists of weaving and tying thousands of stitches and knots with her beak into a woven hanging-basket. .
It can take as many as 15 days for her to weave a nest and the result is an engineering masterpiece of plant fiber, grasses, vine and tree bark. Orioles build the nest on small branches 6 to 45 feet in the air, to keep them safe from predators. Female orioles are also in charge when it's time to incubate the eggs and brood the young in the nest. Then both parents feed the young which fledge about 30 days from egg laying.
Orioles make only one nesting attempt per year. So depending on the success of the birds in finding mates and a nesting site, they may be done raising a new family anytime from mid-June to mid-August. That means they’re free to move around after that. Some may start down south and some adult orioles are just secretive at the end of July when they begin their fall molt and may not visit feeders.
Usually, there are a few early individuals that start migration. These are followed south by a much larger volume of migrants. Finally the peak tapers off gradually to a few lingering stragglers. Most of the bird books will tell you that they leave Michigan by mid-September but there is no set schedule and I'd leave your feeder up a little while longer, just in case.
Related articles:
Orioles make only one nesting attempt per year. So depending on the success of the birds in finding mates and a nesting site, they may be done raising a new family anytime from mid-June to mid-August. That means they’re free to move around after that. Some may start down south and some adult orioles are just secretive at the end of July when they begin their fall molt and may not visit feeders.Usually, there are a few early individuals that start migration. These are followed south by a much larger volume of migrants. Finally the peak tapers off gradually to a few lingering stragglers. Most of the bird books will tell you that they leave Michigan by mid-September but there is no set schedule and I'd leave your feeder up a little while longer, just in case.
Related articles:
1. Migration of Birds: When Birds Migrate http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/migratio/when.htm
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Bird of the week
June 1st 2019. This year our weather has been a lot cooler than normal and the Baltimore Orioles just showed up two weeks ago and are now trying to mate(at least the pair in my yard). The female is now eating the grape jelly which the Male refuses and only wants to eat the oranges. It's great to see them finally!
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iY. .
I have had several Oriole's in my yard so I had to put up more feeders. But I haven't seen any Oriole's in a couple of days. ☹️
ReplyDeleteI have had the most ever this year. Prefer the have only seen the females over the past few days though and don’t here their songs as much. JM detroit
ReplyDeleteHere in Central Il I had 2 or 3 pairs of Orioles thru m,May into first wk of June, then they disappeared. No longer see them at feeders and don't even hear them. Where do they go so early?
ReplyDeleteI had over a dozen in May. I couldn’t keep the feeders full. I live in SW Lower Michigan. Now they seem to have disappeared. I too, wonder where they went so early? They used to wake me up early in the mornings with their songs.
ReplyDeleteWe still have male and females visiting our feeder in Lake Orion. Hard to tell how many, but filling the feeder with jelly almost daily.
ReplyDeleteI do as well... at least two sets id them still coming regularly to grape jelly feeder. I can't keep jelly in the house. Still eating lots of it!! Hope they stay.
DeleteWe had 10 to 15 Orioles 2 weeks ago now we have not seen a Orioles in a week what's up with that.
ReplyDeleteI am still filling a small feeder every day. Mostly just one bird at a time shows up but sometimes 2 that bicker. Usually they have gone long before this in my yard.
ReplyDeleteI had at least 2 pair feeding at my grape jelly feeder. On July 1 they all disappeared. I'm in suburban GR.
ReplyDeleteI live in Saugatuck and I still have many orioles that come to my feeders. They are so beautiful but messy. Their feeders are next to my hummingbird feeders. Much excitement watching both types of birds. The finches also enjoy grape jelly
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the April arrival of 10 pairs here in SW Michigan. Currently there are 5 males, a few females & a dozen juveniles still eating at their feeders & bathing in the fountain .
ReplyDeleteIt's end of first week of October.. haven't seen any in 7 to 10 days.. safe to take feeder down? Just have stuck bees in the jelly..
ReplyDeleteI had so many now all of a sudden I have none will they return
ReplyDeleteMine have been missing since end of May.
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