Tag: migratingsongbirds

The Migratory Baltimore Oriole: Photography Challenge Day 79

07
May
2019

Today’s winner for the photography challenge is the Baltimore oriole that has decided to nest around Boomer Lake. These birds are yet another indication that spring is fully here and that summer is right around the corner.

I spy an Baltimore Oriole in the tree….

I noticed several brightly colored birds flying around a tree and managed to stand still long enough that I manage to get a couple of decent pictures. One was definitely a mature male Baltimore oriole and the other was either a female or a younger male (as it was a lighter orange color).

Either a female Baltimore Oriole or a young male Baltimore Oriole

The Baltimore oriole can be found east of the Rocky Mountains (and part of that range is actually their migratory paths for heading north). They winter down in Mexico, Florida, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Their diet consists of insects, berries and nectar. In terms of the insects, they eat caterpillars (even the hairy ones that other birds avoid), beetles, grasshoppers, wasps and spiders.

The male Baltimore Oriole sitting in the tree.

What are some other cool facts about Baltimore orioles?

They prefer only ripe, dark-colored fruits (mulberries, cherries, purple grapes) and will ignore other ripe fruit that aren’t as dark in color. They will also take sugar water as well.

The only thing New World and Old World orioles have in common is that they are brightly colored, have long tails and long bills, and build woven hanging nests. Old World orioles are in the family Oriolidae, while the orioles found in America are in the family Icteridae.

The male Baltimore Oriole playing “peek-a-boo”

They raise three to six young a year (usually about four to five), and the female will incubate the eggs for about two weeks, and then after hatching both parents will feed the young. The young will usually leave the nest about two weeks after hatching.

In terms of how the Baltimore oriole will adapt to the continuing changes in temperatures is something that is still being studied—it may gain ground in terms of summer/breeding territory, but it could lose it’s winter grounds potentially in the southern US (namely Florida). As most of its winter grounds are in the tropics—more data will be needed to see how they would survive.

References:

http://climate.audubon.org/birds/balori/baltimore-oriole

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/baltimore-oriole

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/overview#

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The migrating white-crowned sparrow. Photography Challenge Day 76

04
May
2019

Today’s photograph is brought to you by the migrating white-crowned sparrow. This sparrow actually spends the winter months in the southern part of the United States (and Mexico) before heading back to the northern parts of the US and Canada.

White-crowned Sparrow hiding in the peach bush

The diet of these sparrows is mainly seeds, though they will eat insects as well. During the summer months is when they will eat insects and spiders (as that is what they feed the young). Though they will also feed on berries and small fruits as well during the spring, summer, and fall months. Winter is mainly feeding on seeds of weeds and grasses, though they will grace bird feeders as well during this time.

Depending on the part of the country that they are breeding in the birds may have one to three broods per year (more the further south they are). The female will sit on the eggs for about two weeks, and then once the young hatch both parents will feed the young. The young will usually leave the nest within a week to a week and a half after hatching.

White-crowned sparrow under the suet feeder

Some other cool facts about the white-crowned sparrow include:

Young male sparrows learn the basis of the mating call during their first few months by listening to the songs being sung in their immediate area.

Migrating sparrows can cover a large distance in a short time period. Sparrows that breed in Alaska will then fly approximately 2600 miles south to winter in southern California.

White-crowned sparrow by the suet feeder.

They will share territories with fox sparrows but will chase out chipping sparrows and dark-eyed juncos.

The loud singing is usually the males, and the quieter and more variable singing is the females (which may only be during breeding season or looking for food in the winter).

These sparrows actually have song dialects, as they tend to return closely to the area that they were raised.

References:

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-crowned-sparrow

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/overview

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