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How to Attract Orioles With Oranges

Orioles are a type of small, colorful bird that can be spotted in North America. There are eight varieties which breed seasonally in the U.S. including Baltimores, Bullocks and Hooded. Although these birds mainly eat insects, berries and nectar, the sweetness of oranges is attractive for them. You can easily offer this treat to them, but it is important to put the oranges out at the right time of the year, and positioned in the right place in your garden.

Things You'll Need

Oranges
Knife
Platform feeder
Hammer
4-inch long nail

Instructions

- 1
  Plan when you will put oranges out for the orioles because they are only present during the summer months, since they migrate south during the winter. For example, Hooded orioles are present in Southern Texas from March to mid-September and then migrate to Mexico. Generally orioles appear from April 1st in the southern half of the U.S. and from mid-April to May 1st in the northern half.
- 2
  Cut the two oranges in half using a knife.
- 3
  Place two halves of the oranges upturned on the platform bird feeder. This is essentially a flat surface in the garden raised at least five feet above the ground. You could hang a piece of wood from a branch as a substitute, if you did not want to buy a platform feeder.
- 4
  Nail the other two halves of the oranges onto the side of a tree. Position one each side of the trunk, at least five feet off the ground. Use a long nail so it can penetrate through the fruit into the bark, enough to keep it firmly in place.
- 5
  Replace the orange halves every few days, or once they are no longer fresh looking. Orioles are attracted to the sweetness which will disperse over time as the orange becomes weathered and eaten by other insects and birds.

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