By Tony Gazso, Interpretive Naturalist

The Baltimore oriole, one of the most vibrant birds to breed in northeast Ohio, is actually a member of the blackbird family. Males are unmistakable with their flaming orange and black plumage (they don’t get  the color until their second year!). Females are typically more drab, but their color deepens every time they molt (shed feathers), so some older females are just as vibrant in color as males. Although the plumage pattern differs greatly, the Baltimore oriole was at one point considered the same species as the Bullock’s oriole and was known simply as the Northern oriole. Genetic tests in the 1990s resulted in the separation of the two into distinct species once more, but they still hybridize where their ranges meet.

Baltimore orioles love fruit and nectar. Some of us are familiar with the practice of placing sliced oranges or grape jelly in feeders in our backyards to get a close look at these brilliant songbirds. In addition to feeders, you can entice orioles with fruit-bearing plants such as blackberries, raspberries and crabapple. Fruit isn’t the only food orioles eat though. They can be seen gleaning insects and grubs from the leaves of trees as well. The female makes an intricate hanging nest out of thin plant fibers that kind of looks like a small basket. They only produce one brood every year, but that brood can comprise as many as seven young.

When they aren’t eating oranges in our backyards, look for Baltimore orioles at the tops of the trees. Oftentimes you’ll hear them before you see them. They have a loud clear whistling song; the melody varies, but the voice is as unmistakable as their plumage. Their singing stops in summer, as they become busy feeding and caring for young. But soon enough, they’ll be back at it for a time until they head back to the Caribbean for the winter. So head out and see if you can spot one this summer!