Habitat:

The Baltimore Oriole is a summer resident in southern Canada, eastern and central United States. Theri bag-shaped hanging nests, artfully woven of plant fibers, are familiar sights in shade trees in towns.

They migrate in flocks. Fall migration begins early, with many birds departing in July and August, winterning in southern United States and Guatemala.

Diet:

Insects, berries, nectar. In summer, feed mostly on insects, especially caterpillars, including many hairy types avoided by other birds; also eat bettles, grasshoppers, wasps, bugs and others, plus spiders and snails. Eat many berries and sometimes cultivated fruit. Feed on nectar and will take sugar water.

Nesting:

Site is in a tall deciduous tree, placed near the end of a slanting droopy branch, usually 20 - 30 feet above the ground. Nest is mostly built by the female, and is a hanging pouch, with its rim firmly attached to a branch. Nest is tightly woven of plant fibers strips of bark, grapevines, grass, yarn, string, Spanish moss, lined with fine grasses, plant down, hair.

Eggs:

4 - 5, bluish white to plale gray with brown and black markings concentrated at large end. Incubation is by the female, about 12 - 14 days.

Young:

Both parents feed the nestlings. Young leave the nest in about 2 - 14 days after hatching.

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