Baltimore Oriole
Every winter I lead a group of photographers to Costa Rica. Birds are usually the main subject in our photographic efforts. We see hundreds of different species, mostly tropical birds that live year-round in Costa Rica and don’t migrate. However, there are a couple of birds that every time I see them, it brings me back home. One in particular, the Baltimore Oriole, is a particular favorite hometown bird.
The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is a common backyard bird in the eastern half of the United States. Chances are you have these birds, as I do in my yard. I also take the extra step to provide a feeding station for the orioles that visit. So, let’s take a look at the Neo-tropical migrant, the Baltimore Oriole. Let’s start with the name. The “Baltimore” part of their name came from the orange and black color of the male, which resembled the coat of arms on the 17th-century Lord Baltimore. I find this interesting because our Baltimore Oriole is a New World bird, which means it is not found in Europe or the UK, where Lord Baltimore resided. Ultimately, our oriole was named this because it looked similar to a bird found in Europe.
The second part of the name “Oriole” comes from the Latin aureoles which means “golden”. I suppose that works on some level since the female is yellowish or golden in appearance.
Now here is where it gets interesting. There are 33 species of Orioles in the Americas. All of these are in the Blackbird Family (Icteridae). That’s right, our wonderful orioles are specifically New World birds, which means they are only found in North, Central, and South America, and nowhere else. They are truly hometown American birds!
I find it amazing that a tropical bird such as the Baltimore Oriole would migrate such great distances. First of all, why would you leave the tropics in the first place? The answers to these migration questions can never be fully answered or understood. All we really know is that migration started millions of years ago and approximately 40 percent of all birds in the world do some kind of migration. We do know that if the cost of migration were greater than the benefits, the birds would have evolved out of it a very long time ago. So, since birds are still migrating long distances, it must still really benefit them in some positive way.
We are definitely the beneficiaries of the long migration because we get to see a cool-looking tropical bird right in our own backyards. Most people attract these birds to a feeding station by offering a combination of grape jelly and fresh oranges cut in half and presented with the flesh of the orange pointing upward.
Recently I was asked if the high sugar content of the grape jelly would be a health hazard for the Baltimore Orioles. Let’s put it this way: the life of a small songbird is difficult to say the least. Every day, larger predator birds are out hunting small birds such as the oriole. Day-to-day survival is difficult. Plus, small birds such as orioles only live about 5-7 years, so long-term effects from a high sugar diet really don’t factor into the bird’s life. Keep in mind that they also eat a ton of insects to help balance out their diet. Providing grape jelly and oranges at a feeding station only helps to round out the birds’ total nutritional needs and isn’t the sole food source. Also, the reason we feed birds is to draw them closer so we can enjoy seeing and hearing the beautiful birds.
So go ahead and enjoy the tropical birds that migrate thousands of miles to visit us each spring and summer. I will look forward to seeing my migratory friends this winter when I once again return to the tropics of Costa Rica. Until next time…
About Stan
Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer who travels extensively to study and photograph wildlife. He can be followed on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, and contacted via his website at naturesmart.com.