baltimore oriole nc | Best Life Birding- Birdwatching Tours

By Sally Siko

Pleased to see that the pair of Baltimore Orioles are still visiting the feeder! They’d shown up this past December and haven’t left. I’m hoping they’ll just choose to stay here in Lillington NC and perhaps build a nest somewhere in the yard.
We will see 🙂

As shown here, male Baltimore Orioles are known for their vibrant orange and black plumage, which resembles the colors of the coat of arms of Lord Baltimore, hence their name.
They are also are renowned for their melodious and flute-like songs, which they use to attract mates and defend their territories. Their songs are often heard echoing through woodlands during the breeding season which begins in early May.

These birds are masters of nest construction, often weaving intricate hanging nests from plant fibers, grasses, and other materials. Their nests are commonly found hanging from the outer tips of tree branches anywhere from 30ft to 80ft up in the canopy.
While they are commonly associated with the northeastern United States, Baltimore Orioles can be found across much of North America during the breeding season, ranging from the eastern and central parts of the continent to parts of the southwestern United States and even into Canada.

Baltimore Orioles typically begin their southward migration from North Carolina in late summer or early fall.
Some (like this guy here) end up spending the winter in the Tarheel State.
Depending on various factors such as weather conditions and food availability, their migration can start as early as August and extend through September. By October, most Baltimore Orioles will have departed from North Carolina on their journey to their wintering grounds in Central and South America.
That’s a good thing because this means you’ve got plenty of time to see one before the year is through!

Photo by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

By Sally Siko

I’ve been on countless feeder stakeouts over the years. Generally I’m not a fan of doing this because I have trouble sitting still for very long.
Plus I don’t like the odds of staying put and taking a chance that singular bird will show up at any given time.
Not to mention the boredom, hunger and the “oh I have to pee but don’t want to leave and risk missing the bird” scenario factor too lol!
Still, every time a Rare Bird Alert goes out reported by a homeowner seeing something cool at their feeder, I’ll still give it a try.
This time, things were different.

This Oriole showed up at my boyfriend’s house in Lillington NC a couple days ago so when the bird arrived to the feeders this morning, we watched it out the window while sipping coffee on the couch.
Once the sun rose a bit higher, the lighting got a bit harsh when viewing the bird from inside so we sat out front of the house and took photos from there. My friends Corie & Karen stopped by and Michael even made us some breakfast while we waited on the Oriole to return.
Definitely the best feeder stakeout I’ve ever done lol!

The Baltimore Oriole is a year round resident of North Carolina but in different regions at different times of the year. During the spring and summer months, they breed in the western part of the state, but spend the winter in the central and coastal areas.
Despite the fact that their range extends across the entire state, they are considered somewhat rare at most times throughout the year.
These guys are notoriously difficult to photograph too as they tend to hang out in the upper canopies of trees where they’ll be found hunting for insects and snacking on fruit.
This means that your best chance to get a good close up look at one is likely in a scenario like this, in a random suburban neighborhood eating jelly at a feeder on a cold winter day.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5