Journey North Oriole Migration

Oriole

Field Checklist: Orioles
Watch for these events to occur in your hometown!

Date
Event

Feeder up and ready for first Orioles (Report this to JN!) (How to attract orioles to your hometown)

First trees leafing out. (Report "leaf-out" to JN!)

First male oriole seen.(Report this to JN!) (Watch for them at orange, nectar, or grape jelly feeders)

First oriole heard singing (Means your resident oriole has arrived and is establishing territory.)

First female oriole seen (Look for lighter, yellowish orange-colored feathers.She usually arrives a few days after the male. Males may chase females at first.)

First Nest-building begins--watch for females taking string.(Report this to JN!) Encourage and help them to choose your yard by supplying them with nesting materials. (Usually the females are seen flying with nesting materials such as plant fibers or string.Normally just the female builds the nest. Watch where she takes your nest material--can you find the nest? The nest usually takes 5-8 or more days to build.)

Incubation of eggs underway. When you see the female less often, you may be able to assume she's incubating. You won't actually see the female sitting in the nest, but if you find a nest and keep it in your sight, you may be lucky enough to see the female enter or leave. Like most songbirds, oriole females spend about 50 minutes of every hour warming the eggs.

Young hatch. (Usually about 12-14 days after last egg laid.) Both parents feed the babies.Watch for adults flying toward the nest with beakfuls of insects or away from the nest with their babies' fecal sacs.) About one week after hatching they begin to give loud calls from the nest.

First young fledge. (about 12-14 days after eggs hatch the young leave the nest, or "fledge.") Watch for fledglings following the parents, begging noisily for food. These babies aren't as clumsy as newly-fledged robins or cardinals. Watch for orioles that look like females with short tails.

Watch for young orioles following their parents to your grape jelly feeder.