Oriole Bird Feeders

Oriole feeders are nectar feeders which use the same formula as hummingbird feeders - 4 parts clean water to 1 part white sugar. Orioles are attracted to oranges and require larger perches than hummingbirds. Many oriole feeders also have places for orange halves and cups for grape jelly, 2 of their favorite treats. These feeders offer nourishment during the Orioles' breeding season. To attract them, be sure the feeder is up by May 1 and to keep them around as long as possible, be sure to offer grape jelly!

As with any nectar feeder, oriole bird feeders often attract ants. We highly recommend adding a "Trap-It" ant moat to the top of your feeder. It does a great job of keeping ants off the feeder. It is shown in this section as well as in Accessories.

Oriole Facts

It was not too many years ago that orioles rarely visited feeders. Now, they seem to have learned that oriole bird feeders mean food. They are attracted to the color orange, so good oriole feeders are orange and have perches for the birds to land on. These are nectar feeders and should be filled with a solution made of 4 parts fresh clean water and 1 part white sugar. Orioles cannot hover like hummingbirds and are much larger birds so they cannot land on the perches of hummingbird feeders. They require a larger feeder with larger perches. They are also attracted to offerings of fruit and grape jelly.

From spring until fall, orioles are frequent visitors to oriole feeders over much of the United States. They move far southward during the winter, but these bright colored birds are a joy to have visit during the warm months. The most common species is the northern oriole which includes the eastern Baltimore race and the western Bullock’s race. Both are bright orange and black, but the Bullock’s also has big white wing patches and the Baltimore has a full black hood. Commonly seen in the southwest is the Scott’s oriole which is vivid yellow and black. These beautiful birds will frequently visit oriole bird feeders but will also be drawn to orange halves.

These brightly colored birds are easy to identify, but they are not as quick to find an oriole bird feeder as a hummingbird is to find a hummingbird feeder. It just means that a little patience is necessary, for they will come. These are an arboreal bird, which means they stay mostly in the trees. Therefore, we need to be sure to look up when watching for them. If there are trees in your yard, the orioles will move from one tree to another on their way. Once they reach the oriole bird feeder, they may spend many minutes enjoying the treat.

It can be very rewarding to add an oriole bird feeder to the yard. These beautiful birds seem to come back to the same area year after year, so it is worth being patient waiting for them to find your oriole bird feeder. It is great fun to watch them bring their offspring to the feeder for the first time. Also offering grape jelly or orange halves will encourage them to visit.

As time goes on, more and more species of birds are discovering nectar feeders. Watch your nectar feeders and you many find other visitors, such as woodpeckers, goldfinches, house finches, grosbeaks, and chickadees.