Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)

County List:

Rule:

Mixed Forested/Nonforested or Nonforested Landscapes

1st alternative:
      (Oak (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Assorted Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Upland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Swamp Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Bottomland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Lowland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      Mast
   adjacent to:
      (Edge or Riparian)

2nd alternative:
      Savanna
      or Residential
   containing:
      Mast

Habitat List:

view size class definitions

Literature:

Habitat: The Northern Oriole breeds in a variety of deciduous woodland habitats. Open situations are preferred, including forest edges, riparian woods, orchards, parks, and residential areas with large shade trees. Habitats classified as deciduous forest (wet, mesic, or dry) or residential with large trees comprised 77% of the Atlas Habitat Survey records. Orioles may also be found in mixed forests, shrub wetlands, and orchards.

Before its depletion by Dutch elm disease, the American elm was a favored nesting tree. Barrows (1912) mentioned elm, oak, and birch as commonly used trees in Michigan. Harrison (1975) listed elm, maple, willow, and apple trees as preferred. More important than the species itself is the need for large trees with hanging branches to which the female attaches her intricately woven, pendulous nest.

Along with their diet of caterpillars, beetles, and other insect pests, orioles also have an appetite for citrus and other fruits, and nectar feeders and oranges have become common additions to bird-feeding stations.

Habitat: Breeding: Suburban shade trees of lawns and roadsides, groves, orchards, parks, deciduous woodland edges and along streams and lakes. Wintering: Locally at feeding stations where fruits and suet are provided.

Special Habitat Requirements: Tall deciduous trees, prefers elms.

Habitat: Open woods, riverside groves, elms, shade trees. Breeds in deciduous or mixed woodland, generally in open woods or edges rather than interior of dense forest. May be common in trees in towns. Often favors elms.

Diet: Insects, berries, nectar. In summer, feeds mostly on insects, especially caterpillars, including hairy types avoided by many birds; also eats beetles, grasshoppers, wasps, bugs, and others, plus spiders and snails. Eats many berries and sometimes cultivated fruit. Feeds on nectar and will take sugar-water.

Nest: Site is in tall deciduous tree, placed near end of slender drooping branch, usually 20-30 feet above the ground but can be 6-60 feet up or higher. Nest is a hanging pouch with its rim firmly attached to a branch; tightly woven of plant fibers, strips of bark, grapevines, grass, yarn, string. Spanish moss, lined with fine grass, plant down, hair.