Attracting Orioles

Learn how to attract orioles to your yard with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

Known for their bright orange and striking black feathers, orioles are a welcome sight in any birder’s backyard. The beautiful songbirds migrate south for the winter, but come back to the Midwest around early May. You can get your backyard ready for orioles with the help of Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

Feed & Feeders

Orioles aren’t your typical backyard birds. To attract an oriole, offer up oranges that are cut in half or grape jelly to satisfy their sweet tooth.

Another option is to use an oriole feeder with oriole nectar, similar to that of a hummingbird. Oriole feeders have bigger feeding ports than a hummingbird feeder to accommodate the birds’ larger beaks. Hang feeders higher up as orioles like to perch high in trees.

Water

You can provide the birds with a water source for both drinking and bathing by using a shallow bird bath, and adding a water feature, if possible. Using a birdbath with a touch of orange or a terracotta birdbath will help to attract an oriole.

Shelter

An oriole won’t use a birdhouse. You can, however, encourage them to nest in your backyard with cottonwood, poplar, willow, elm, or oak trees. You can also set out nesting material such as yarn, thread, and pet fur as they use these materials to build their nests. If they know they can find those materials on a regular basis, they’ll keep coming back to your yard.

At Blain’s Farm & Fleet, our animal expertise branches from the barn to your backyard. You can trust the animal experts to have everything you need for backyard birdwatching. From specialty feeders to bird seed to birdhouses, you can transform your backyard into a wild bird oasis. For more tips on bringing beautiful wild birds to your backyard, visit our Wild Bird Care blog.