Blog by Wild Birds Unlimited of Grosse Pointe Woods

Category Archives: Summer

The Joy of Listening

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Working in the garden in the summer can be a delightful experience when we pay attention to the sounds of the birds. It’s educational and entertaining to concentrate on birds sounds and look for the stories behind them. You’ll be surprised at what you can learn just by listening, finding joy in the process.

A Morning In the Garden: The Birdsong Begins!

Blue Jay (Photo by John Graffius)

This morning I heard a conversation between a family of Blue Jays, murmuring to each other with a tone that reminded me of an interplay between The Three Stooges. They seemed to be comparing notes about where they would go to find food. Later, I heard the familiar “Jay! Jay!”  Were they sounding the “jay alarm” for the good of the group, because of a threat of some kind? Or was this practice just a “fire drill”?

House Wrens are singing less compared to the constant song which announced their arrival back in May. It seems my neighborhood wren gives an earnest song just once or twice these days, and nothing more. Done nesting, there is no need to advertise territory.

House Wren (Photo by Jerry Jourdan)

Afternoon Sounds

At this moment, the Robins are the most vocal. Two spot-breasted youngsters are incessantly reminding mom they are hungry. The young can be easily located by their shrill “peek” calls. Mom is quite silent as she searches continuously for food. This is very different from her morning routine. At daybreak, I hear her frantically repeating, “peek, peek, tut, tut.” She does not stop until both youngsters respond, a way to let her know they made it through the night.

Heard but not easily seen are my neighborhood Northern Flickers, White-breasted Nuthatches and Chickadees. All of them are making contact calls between adults and fledglings, giving clues as to where they are feeding. The nuthatches seem to be in the most constant contact – soft and repeated many times. Maybe this serves as encouragement to the young, that they are doing well finding the bugs they need.

The Northern Cardinal definitely has a second brood of young. How do I know? His song is constant in the neighborhood. He sings from perches in the yards that surround mine, as well as from two places in my yard. These singing points define his territory. When he is closest to the nest site, I can hear the female sing back to him from her place on the nest. Cardinals are one of the few bird species that engage in counter-singing between the pair.

Male & Female Cardinals (Photo by Christopher Goodhue)

Song & Dance

American Goldfinches are in full-on breeding mode. A male makes his presence known, taking flight from the neighbors’ birch trees, singing “per chicory” over and over as he flies. His flight is undulating, a gentle loop up and down, singing continuously. I watch him define his territory, cutting diagonally across my yard, then over two yards, then across towards the fringe of Ferry Elementary property and back to the birch trees. This display is gently repeated about every fifteen minutes.

American Goldfinch (Photo by Rodney Campbell)

 

Bird Sounds at Dusk

High-pitched calls in the trees overhead give away the presence of Cedar Waxwings. If I watch the area where they are calling long enough, I will eventually see the family group leave in flight together, off to another feeding stop.

As evening approaches, I hear the familiar chatter of Chimney Swifts. Gladly, I take a break from the garden and look up, admiring the family group of six that are flying in unison. Soon after, I know I will hear the Common Nighthawk’s raspy display call, a sound I will dearly miss once they have migrated this fall.

Make your next venture into the yard an auditory experience – you may be amazed at the Joy that listening brings!

 

Enjoy your Birds!

Rosann Kovalcik, Owner

Wild Birds Unlimited

Grosse Pointe Woods

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Common Nighthawks: Aerial Marvels

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Common Nighthawk (Photo by Mark Hainen)

For me, the sounds of summer include the sounds of Common Nighthawks.

A pair of nighthawks has nested on top of Ferry Elementary School for as long as I can remember. First thing in the morning, and I mean before sunrise, I see him flying in his erratic pattern. I’m not sure of how to describe the call that accompanies the flight. I’ve seen it written as buzz BEEErzh and peent (click here to listen on Cornell’s All About Birds website).

Common Nighthawk perched (Photo by Don Chalfant)

It is sharp and loud, a call to look up to the sky and wait for the wonderful sound to follow. The male nighthawk climbs higher and higher, then dives toward the ground, flexing his wings downward as he peels out of his dive. This causes a sound reminiscent of a race car rounding the edge of the track. To me, it sure sounds like vroom! This wonderful display gets repeated in the evening, a second treat for the summer day. This display serves two purposes; first, to attract a female and bond with her. It also lets other males know the territory is taken.

Common Nighthawk (Photo by Don Chalfant)

Field Marks

To identify Common Nighthawks, look for a slim, long-winged bird with white patches on the wing. Their pointy wings and streamlined shape make them appear larger than their measurements would indicate. Each bird is typically 9.5” long with a wing span of 24” and a weight of only 2.2 ounces. The type of flight is key – erratic and bounding – look for the white patch which is quite distinct in flight.

Common Nighthawk in flight (Photo by Karen Wade)

Nesting

Common Nighthawks nest on open ground, gravel beaches, openings in the forest floor and in our area, on gravel roof tops. Nighthawks, including the eggs and the young, have excellent camouflage in their nesting habitats. These birds need to be hidden from view, so the trend from older style roofs with pebbles to rubber roofs without pebbles is not a good one. This shift leads to a decrease in prime nighthawk nesting habitat. If you can influence a roofing company to keep a corner of the roof covered in pebbles, we can maintain sufficient nesting habitat.

Common Nighthawk female, camouflaged on parking lot nest (Photo by Karen Wade)

The female lays just one or two eggs at a time, and the pair may have two broods in a season. Females are the primary incubators. At times she will stand over the young with open wings, creating a shade umbrella when needed.

Common Nighthawk with nestling (Photo by Karen Wade)

Common Nighthawk female with young (Photo by Karen Wade)

Diet & Distribution

Common Nighthawks eat flying insects exclusively. Once prey is sighted, the bird will fly toward it, open its beak, and maneuver to catch and swallow the insect. The young are fed these insects in regurgitated form – yummy!

As one would expect of a bird that is an insect-eater, Common Nighthawks migrate south with the change of the seasons. Often in late summertime, Bill Rapai, President of Grosse Pointe Audubon and my co-leader on bird walks, calls to inform me the migration is evident, with streams of nighthawks moving south over Lake St. Clair. Their journey may take them anywhere from 1,600 to 4,200 miles as they have been reported in Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and as far south as Argentina.

I hope that you get a chance to listen for these unique birds, and then look to the sky and experience these seasonal marvels.

 

Enjoy your birds!

-Rosann Kovalcik

Owner, Wild Birds Unlimited, Grosse Pointe Woods

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Bird Spotlight: Green Heron

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Photo Courtesy: Valerie Gebert

“They look like a kindergartner that dressed for school, choosing bright pants that didn’t match the multiple colors they put on,” said my niece after observing a Green Heron at the shoreline of an inland lake. Technically, they aren’t truly green; they have more of a greenish-blue cast to their backs like velvet draperies in an English Manor; a deep chestnut body, a darker, capped head and bright yellow legs. They also have white underneath the tail, most evident when the tail is flicked in agitation.

Diet & Feeding Behavior

Green Herons wait patiently for prey to cross their paths as they sit perched in every imaginable yoga pose along the water’s edge. Small fish, crustaceans, frogs – all are on the menu. Watching these birds hunt is a lesson in patience and perseverance. They stand for many minutes with necks retracted, their stares fixated at the water in front of them. When prey comes within striking distance, they strike quickly, extending their necks to almost the full length of their bodies. Whatever the catch, the heron flips it down into the back of the beak, then down the hatch in one gulp!

Photo Courtesy: Beth Miller, as seen on Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “All About Birds” site

If you are lucky enough to come across them in your outdoor adventures, sit and watch; you may see another behavior that is sure to blow your mind – a Green Heron using a tool to fish. Yes, Green Herons uses tools to lure fish, dropping insects, twigs and feathers onto the water’s surface. This is an amazing sight to see, and one that I have been fortunate enough to witness from the quiet of a kayak.

Photo Courtesy: Valerie Gebert

Habitat

Where can you find Green Herons? They prefer bodies of water with vegetation near the shoreline. Think of our inland lakes and all of the exploring you can do in early morning. Our Huron-Clinton Metroparks are great places for this type of birding. The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House is another likely spot. Use your binoculars to scan the water’s edges, as well as checking lily pads. Listen carefully for a loud “SKEOW!” – a likely sign of a Green Heron relocating. I have noticed they often verbalize while flying from one space to the next.

Photo Courtesy: Valerie Gebert

Nesting

Green Herons make nests from twigs which they situate in trees. Both parents tend to the young. To start, the female lays between 3-5 eggs, and both she and her mate incubate them for 19-21 days. The youngsters are then fed by both parents, who regurgitate food into their mouths. In another 21-23 days, they’re ready to fly. Finally, the young fledge at about 30-35 days of age, meaning they are no longer dependent upon their parents. Green Herons mate monogamously each breeding season, often changing mates from one season to the next.

Wintering & Other Fun Facts

After breeding in Michigan (as well as in other states), Green Herons spend their winters in Mexico and Central America. However, during the post-breeding season, they have been known to show up as far as England and France, which is as exciting for the people there as it is for us when we see a Snowy Owl – what a special treat!

Photo Courtesy: Valerie Gebert

The oldest Green Heron on record was 7 years and 11 months old. It was found in Mexico in 1979 and first banded in Oklahoma in 1971.

Did you know – a group of herons can be called a rookery, a battery, a pose, a scattering or a hedge?

Whatever you call them, I hope you see many Green Herons in your forays into the field this year!

 

Enjoy your birds,

-Rosann Kovalcik

Owner, Wild Birds Unlimited, Grosse Pointe Woods

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References

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2017). Green Heron Overview.

Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

guideGreen_Heron/overview

Chimney Swifts – Aerial Artists

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Perhaps one of the happiest sounds in my yard during the warmer months is the chattering of Chimney Swifts as they race by in the sky. Looking like a cigar with sickle-shaped wings, they are usually seen flying in pairs or family groups. (Photo courtesy of Chuck Slusarczyk Jr.)

Their wings quiver in flight, swift and shallow, as they maneuver to catch insects. Feeding “on the wing,” they capture flies, bugs, wasps, and other insects.

Chimney Swifts spend more time flying than other species of birds. They copulate in flight, and drink and bathe in the rain while flying. They do stop flying to sit on eggs and to roost at night for sleep.

Chimney Swifts previously nested in caves and hollow trees. With the advent of chimneys on this continent, they acclimated to this new hollow for nesting purpose as well as using air vents, old wells, silos, barns, lighthouses, sheds and other similar structures.

The nest of a Chimney Swift is a work of art. Both parents contribute to the nest, breaking off small twigs with their feet while flying through branches, and returning to the nest site with the twigs in their bills.  The bird in the photo above is slowing down to be able to break off a twig with its’ beak while in flight.

The nest is a half-saucer of loosely woven twigs, measuring 2 to 3 inches from front to back, 4 inches wide and an inch deep. Remarkably, it is stuck together and cemented to the chimney wall with the bird’s glue-like saliva.  This female below faces the wall of the chimney – you can just see her eye at the far right.  Check out the very stiff tail feathers which are used to hold onto vertical surfaces when the birds are not incubating eggs.  (Photo courtesy of Bruce Dilabio)

Three to five white eggs are laid with a 16 – 21 day incubation period. The nestlings are born naked and helpless as shown in the photo below. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Dilabio)

 

 

The young outgrow the nest and cling vertically to the walls while the parents continue to feed them for another 14 – 19 days. At that point, they launch themselves out to flight and join their parents.  Shown below, these same nestlings are older but not yet ready to leave the nest.  Look at how they are crowded together and all facing the wall of the chimney.

 

 

Large numbers of Chimney Swifts roost together in a single chimney during the non-breeding season. During cool nights, the numbers of birds together may raise the temperature inside the roost to 70°F warmer than the outside air.
The largest known Chimney Swift roost in North America is on Grand River in Farmington Hills. There, up to 50,000 swifts can be seen dramatically diving down into the 150 foot chimney stack of the former LaSalle Winery at dusk. Mark your calendar and join Detroit Audubon for “Swifts Night Out” on September 23rd and 24th – See you there!

(Photo courtesy of Jerry Jourdan)

In the meantime, look to the sky and you will certainly be rewarded with the sight of these fascinating birds as they race their way across the sky.

Goldfinch Doing the Happy Dance

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This morning the goldfinch was doing performing his Happy Dance and I watched with delight.

It was 7:00 am and I heard short versions of his song being repeated. I looked up to see him making laps around the perimeter of my yard, singing only when his wings beat. With a gentle rolling flight, he finished five laps and then reversed, right over me, much to my delight. Five more laps around the yard in the opposite direction.

Per Cher Cher Cher Cher Cher – only on the wing beats, his golden body undulating upward in flight.

I am smitten. Does he love my yard for the food it brings to him and his perspective mate? Is he showing her that this is his prime territory?

 

He alights on the wires and sings a much longer version of his song. Looks down on me as if to ask me to leave so be can feed on the Rudbeckia, where I flushed him from a few days ago.  It pays to plant native plants as they are a natural way to feed these golden beauties.

He crosses from the wire to the from oak tree, still in plain view, and sings his long song again.

Go birding in your yard!

Cliff Swallows

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It was a happy day when David Oliver stopped in at Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods to show me the photos he had taken of the Cliff Swallows at local Parcells Middle School.

I hadn’t heard about these birds so I stopped at the school on my way home to see them for myself. What little beauties, flying about together for insects, their young waiting in the colonial nests these birds build.

Photo by Lisa Vreede

Cliff Swallows are one of the birds that have adapted to changes humans have made by building their mud nests on bridges, overpasses and many other brick surfaces. Cliff Swallows use their beaks to gather mud, using about 1,000 blobs to complete their nest. The reasons for nesting in colonies including more birds alert to potential dangers that can alert the group, and more scouts for food supplies. One such danger includes House Sparrows invading and taking over Cliff Swallow nests.

House Sparrow inspecting a Cliff Swallow nest, by Lisa Vreede

Colony members, by Lisa Vreede

Swallows always catch their insect prey while flying, which can be referred to as hunting “on the wing”. Cliff Swallows eat flying insects all year round, foraging above grassy pastures, plowed fields, and other open areas, but also over floodplain forests, canyons, and towns—often taking advantage of thermal air currents that bring together dense swarms of insects. I imagine the fields at Parcells and the Lochmoor Club offer a good habitat for the insects they seek including flies, bees, wasp, ants, beetles, lacewings, mayflies, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, dragonflies, and damselflies. Cliff Swallows tend to forage higher in the air than Barn Swallows, which can be seen skimming just above the ground, especially behind the lawn equipment which causes insects to flush.

Photo by Lisa Vreede

Cliff Swallows preen their plumage, feed, drink, and bathe in groups, and they continue sticking together in large flocks during migration and on their wintering grounds. These beautiful swallows will be here only for the summer as they will migrate back to a place where they can find insects the rest of the year, in southern South America. Cliff Swallows migrate during the day at a low altitude and feed during migration.

Photo by Lisa Vreede

Click the link below to check out an AMAZING video by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, featuring Cliff Swallows building their mud nests… how cool is that!

Cliff Swallows Build Nests From Mud

Summer Bird Songs

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I love sitting in my yard at daybreak. It’s an amazing way to greet the day. A summertime foray into the yard at sunrise reveals a wealth of bird songs. There are the resident bird families that are foraging together, as well as the migrant birds that are returning south after breeding in our food-abundant continent.

First to vocalize is always the Robin. I can hear him from the cedars in my yard, just a few soft calls. Could this be his way of making sure the babies are okay through the night? In response, a young American Robin spurts forth emphatic singular notes as if to say “I made it through the night. Where’s the best place for breakfast?”

A European Starling sits alone on the phone wire, beak to the sunrise, it’s raspy short notes singing hail to the day.

The Cardinal bursts forth with repeated songs. It takes a lot of energy to keep singing all of these months. He started in late January as usual. Although he does not sing as often as when he and his mate are breeding, there is still sporadic song throughout the day and always at dawn. I wonder if it is a territorial marker continued, letting other families know that this family of Cardinals feeds in the area delineated by song. What a treasure to have that melodious sound in my yard for so much of the year.

“Chatter, chatter, chatter”. No sign of him, but it’s an Oriole for sure. The confirmation comes with a shortened version of his song. This morning, I am surprised by another male Oriole singing a longer song from the hedge of berry bushes behind me.

Baltimore Oriole - Photo by John Graffius

Baltimore Oriole – Photo by John Graffius

The Orioles aren’t going to find many berries left. The Eastern Kingbirds came by and stripped them clean. That was another wonderful morning. The distinctive electric song was being given by all four members of the Kingbird family. They sat on the wire and verbalized, went to the hedge to eat, back to the wire again, sometimes preening for a bit. It was a great two days to sit and listen to their raucous contact calls.

The resident White-breasted Nuthatches are just the opposite. Instead of songs, I hear them giving quiet contact calls to their young. When they move through the yard, you can always tell what area they are feeding in because of this verbal behavior.

Another summer resident in the yard has been the House Wren. The contact calls made by the parent to the fledged youngsters is consistent and harsh, much unlike their effervescent song during breeding season.

 

House Wren

House Wren – Photo by John Graffius

 

Then there is the Blue Jay youngster with the constant “wa” call which he makes into two syllables. I think he is definitely asking parents for some breakfast help.

My eyes turn skyward in response to the light version of the twittering calls of Chimney Swifts. I often see this family of five in the morning, racing across the sky and feeding as they go.

Another familiar sound keeps my eyes lifted. It’s the breeding family of Cedar Waxwings. They fly from the oak, to the birches, and then take off, all of them calling together as they fly, a high-pitched, trilled “bzeee”.

Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing – Photo by John Graffius

Soon the hedge in the back reveals the House Finch family has arrived. Their sound is so bright and happy. It’s a joy to listen to baby House Finches. I think it has the same touching quality as the sound of human babies laughing.

Later in the morning line-up, the resident Goldfinch belts out his full breeding song. Late nesters, Goldfinches are still in the thick of feeding nestlings. The insistent calls of the young Goldfinches, “Chippee, chippee”, won’t be heard quite yet.

Starting my day out by listening to the songs of birds is truly one of the best delights of summer.

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Attracting Orioles to Your Yard

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Graffius Oriole 3 small

Baltimore Oriole by John Graffius

In search of an adequate food supply to raise a family, thousands of Baltimore Orioles will migrate from Central America to Michigan this spring. What does it take to attract these vibrantly plumaged orange and black birds to our yard?

When the male arrives, he is in search of a territory that will provide the basics – food, water, shelter and places to raise young – those elements allow him to carry on his genetics, the sole purpose of migration.

Undoubtedly, you will hear Orioles before you see them. The male Baltimore Oriole’s song consists of a short series of paired notes, repeated 2–7 times, lasting 1–2 seconds. The pure, liquid, flutelike sounds have a full, rich tone. Once you accustom yourself to its song, you will be able to search for them visually.

Orioles can be found in open woodlands, woodland edges, and riparian woodlands and in our shade trees in suburban neighborhoods. They do not prefer deep forests.

Graffius Oriole 6 small

Baltimore Oriole by John Graffius

The habit of Orioles feeding at treetop level inspired consummate birder Pete Dunne to nickname them The Eastern Arboreal Oriole. So why the nickname? This is a bird that is wedded to dense leaf canopy. Males sing from exposed perches to warn other males of proclaimed territory. Both the male and female will land on the tallest point of a tree before slipping into the dense canopy to begin foraging for insects including the caterpillars that emerge to eat the unfurling new growth on trees. Oak trees in particular offer more diversity of caterpillars than any other tree in South East Michigan. While an oak may not mature to full size during your lifetime, planting it for its food value to birds is an investment in the future of birds. Orioles eat many pest species, including tent caterpillars, gypsy moth caterpillars, fall webworms, spiny elm caterpillars, and the larvae within plant galls. Larger caterpillars may be a challenge for some birds. The Oriole has many strategies for eating them once they are too large to consume by swallowing whole. The birds’ beak is quite pointed and is used to slice through the exterior of a caterpillar, allowing the bird to eat the nutritional insides. Orioles often have a feeding limb, a favored place to feed, as can be attested to by the number of dried caterpillar skins that are accumulated on the branch. Orioles eat other insects as well including beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and flies and non-insects including spiders, snails, and other small invertebrates.

Graffius Oriole 5 small

Baltimore Oriole on a WBU Oriole Feeder, by John Graffius

Baltimore Orioles sometimes use their slender beaks to feed in an unusual way, called “gaping”: they stab the closed bill into soft fruits, and then open their mouths to cut a juicy swath from which they drink with their brushy-tipped tongues. Fruits that are especially attractive to Orioles are those that are dark in color. A variety of these plants can offer the high lipid fat that the birds need for fall migration – dogwoods, chokeberry, elderberry, and viburnums. Native plants grow native caterpillars in abundance and therefore, are the perfect choice when planning your bird-friendly yard.

Orioles also have an early spring feeding strategy– they will drink from the wells of sapsuckers. These woodpeckers create purposeful holes to encourage sap to run, which in turn attract insects, an additional food source for the birds that take advantage of the sapsuckers work.

Graffius Oriole 4 small

For a closer look at orioles, you can place feeders in your yard that offer the same types of foods that orioles find in the wild. Dark grape jelly can be offered in plastic and glass dishes, oranges can be placed on pronged feeders and nectar feeders will round out the offerings. Mealworms are another great food source to place out for Orioles – they will take them back to their young as well as bring the young to the feeders once they are fledged. Your oriole feeding station will be most successful if it is not near other feeding stations. Your feeding station should be set up the first week of May to attract the abundance of Orioles that migrate at that time. Once migration is over and the local birds have established their territory, you may find that the mated pair (or two if you are lucky) near your home can be very skittish at feeders. As a bonus, other birds will enjoy these offerings including House Finches and Cardinals.

Oriole Father feeding baby

Baltimore Oriole feeding baby

Female orioles are responsible for the building of the nest that will hold their eggs and resultant young, usually four in number. Long strips of plant material are the backbone of their nest. Most frequently they use milkweed and dogbane, clipping the plant at the base just above where they are holding it firmly in their feet. Pulling up, they create strips that are then flown to the nest site and tied in place. Leave last years’ milkweed and dogbane standing into the spring so that these birds can utilize them, or clip it and add it to your nesting material basket. Elms were the favorite trees of orioles for nest building before Dutch elm disease took its toll on them. Now, orioles favor maples, willows, poplars and oaks for nest to be hung from. Placed at the tip of branches, the sock-like structure has the advantage of being difficult for predators to reach.

The nest is a work of art, a suspended pouch woven as two separate walls. The female uses a shuttling motion to create the walls and then stitches the two halves together. The inside plant material can consist of dandelion fluff, the downy material from willows and poplars and short strips of grape bark. Natural materials can be placed in a suet basket and placed where you can enjoy these beauties helping themselves. Short strips of natural fibers (avoid polyester), human and pet hair, and string may be used by orioles in nest construction. Fishing line and dryer lint are two materials not to be used. The fishing line is too thin and can easily entangle the bird. Dryer lint has materials that will hold moisture and would cool eggs and babies instead of keeping them warm as natural materials would. The female builds the nest over a period of about eight days. Nests are not reused, although some of the nesting material might be used in the new structure.

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Baltimore Oriole by John Graffius

Males keep a watchful eye on the female as she works, mating with her when she allows. Incubation is done by the female entirely, lasting a period of 12 to 14 days. Both parents feed the young for the next two weeks, during which time the naked hatchlings develop into fully feathered adult sized birds.

Now it is the male’s turn to take over as the young follow him for lessons on where to look for food. The female spends her time eating to regain the weight she lost and preparing herself for fall migration. We are happy to share photos of a male feeding his youngsters mealworms!

Orioles leave early back to their southerly home, our yards quieter without their songs as early as the end of August.

Well worth the effort to attract, Orioles make our time in the yard a special time indeed!

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