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Hummers and Baltimore Orioles

Pam_Jean
18 years ago

Yesterday an oriole was in my yard bathing in the spray of the sprinkler while perched in a lilac bush. I did a search and learned that orioles also sip flower nectar and will use or try to use (even though they are a seven or eight inch bird) hummingbird feeders. Has anyone encountered a hummingbird chasing an oriole away from the feeder?

Pam

Comments (12)

  • sarahbn
    18 years ago

    No but I've only seen thenm twice once in my yard and once at Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia both times they were on shrubs and flowers not near any feeders. They sell oriole feeders. Sarah

  • Birdlegs
    18 years ago

    Yes they go to hummer feeders. I give them grape jelly and they love it. They get in my trumpet vine and peck the flowers for nectar. One flew off with the flower once. Maybe he was saving it for a midnight snack.

  • busy_beaver
    17 years ago

    I have seen an Oriole on my feeder once before, but mostly woodpeckers like this one.
    BB

  • daluz
    17 years ago

    This Hooded Oriole is a frequent visitor to my hummingbird feeder this summer (and last Fall).

    Taken at approx. 5:30 AM with poor light and slow shutter speed.

    http://static.flickr.com/54/140108320_886ee1b09e_b.jpg

    A little better lighting. May have had fill in flash.

    http://static.flickr.com/140108319_518b0fce9f_b.jpg

  • tracey_nj6
    17 years ago

    Hehehe; that woodpecker shot is fantastic!

  • naturegirl_2006
    17 years ago

    I have orioles, woodpeckers, and grousebeaks share the feeders with my hummers they all like both nectars i put outthe orange and red even when i run out i use suger water untill i can get more and they all still drink it. Carrie

  • snowdrop_2007
    15 years ago

    A pair of Orioles use my damaged (yellow flowers have long fallen off) hummingbird feeder, much to my delight! The hummers chase them away! Very entertaining to watch!

  • sabs1
    14 years ago

    The Orioles returned here in Chardon, Ohio on April 24. I only put out hummingbird feeders, the Orioles and hummers eat from the same feeders, though not at the same time.The hummers arrived April 26. I did see one of the Orioles on my suet feeder this year. Never saw that before!

  • rob_a
    14 years ago

    I know lots of you have other birds at your feeders, orioles, wood peckers, finches. And you probably donÂt mind, or even enjoy them. But I now have more finches than humming birds. They crowd the feeders to the point that the hummers fly away or have to wait their turn. The finches empty their favorite humming bird feeder every day.

    Tell me if I was wrong doing it, but I have added dish washing soap to the water in the ant motes, and constructed wire guards over each feeder port. The finches still get to the nectar.

    Does anyone have this problem? Is there another way to reserve my feeders for the hummers?

  • donald lucius
    14 years ago

    I have 3 nesting pairs of Bullocks orioles they were having a hard time eating from the hummingbird feeders so i drilled out the holes to a larger size. Then i found a oriole feeder at the thrift shop. Then i hung orange slices and put half oranges on a platform. then put a plastic lid about 1/2 inch deep on the platform and filled it with orange juice and pieces of fruit, watermelon, plums or cherrys and apricots now have evening grosbeaks and orioles all the time. Also this year after the young orioles started coming to eat have 11 small orioles here in and out every little bit from daylight to dark. go through 2 to 3 quarts of sugar water and 1 to 2 cups of fresh orange juice and lots of fruit every day. Here the Orioles disappear from late August to early Sept. and show back up in mid april to first part of May to nest.

  • fairfieldcircle
    14 years ago

    Very fun photo of your woodpecker and interesting that so many orioles and goldfinches know how to use the HB feeders.

    Just this year we have had woodpeckers galore taking over the HB feeders~~mostly downies and red-bellieds of all sizes. Even a mother teaching her fledglings how to use them. This is the first year we have had such a traffic jam at the feeders.

    The HBs attack, block and parry, etc., the WPs but can't always get the woodpeckers to leave. If they get frustrated enough the HBs just go to the other side of the feeder and nectar along side the red-bellieds. Very brave, I think.

    I wish I could get some Orioles to emerge from the woods and come for 'tea time' too!

  • tmeloytk_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    The oriole is quite entertaining eating from my hummer feeder , he hangs upside down pecking away at the bottom of my feeder , but aparently his beak is to big to fit in the hole of the feeder .