One of our volunteers recently posted on FB that she hadn’t seen Baltimore Orioles at their country property in years. Apparently there are increased numbers this year, which is wonderful news. These colourful exotic birds are a real treasure and the male’s birdsong is simply breathtaking.
When she and her husband spotted a male drinking from the hummingbird feeder just a few days ago, they built an Oriole feeder just in case he might hang around.
Once the feeder was completed and hung up outside it didn’t take long for Mr. and Mrs. Oriole to take part of the orange slices and nectar. Orioles apparently also love grape jelly! They have a real sweet tooth.
The post promoted some very important tips for our readers concerning the type of nectar that you should give hummingbirds and orioles.
- Use glass feeders as opposed to plastic, since the plastic can degrade in the sunlight and release harmful chemicals in the nectar.
- Make your own nectar! It is so easy! For hummingbirds, one part sugar to four parts water and for orioles, one part sugar to six parts water. Make sure you boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. Let cool. It can be stored for up to two weeks in the fridge.
- Replace the nectar every two or three days; this is especially important when the weather is hot.
- Never use red die in hummingbird food; it is caustic and will cause a fungus to grow on their tongues.
- Make sure the grape jelly offered is specifically for birds in order to avoid any preservatives.