A Welcome Visitor: Baltimore Oriole Always a welcome sight, it’s the stunning male Baltimore Oriole! I get so excited to see these shy birds, when they return to spend another winter in Beaufort. For some reason, they deviate from most individuals who go to Mexico or South America for the winter (click here to see photos of this species in the Yucatan). This year there was a small group of Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula), living in the trees of the downtown Historic District. Here’s a female … and here are a couple of juveniles with plumage that’s changing slowly… Compare to the adult male… In order to get photos of these cautious birds, I had to wait for them to approach backyard feeders. Although they feed mostly on insects, they are easily lured by a sweet snack. Here’s the male getting some sugar water from a hummingbird feeder… The taste of grape jelly is also irresistible to the orioles. Here they are, feeding from one of several cups hanging from a tree behind the Coastal Community Market on Broad Street (slideshow)… Ready for a meal…Getting in place…Making sure the coast is clear…Sipping the jelly… The orioles do not linger at the food source, regardless of how much food is available. After a few moments, they would fly high into the trees to seek cover in the thick foliage. Obviously, their plumage makes them easy targets for predators such as hawks. Here’s a closer look at a juvenile… So, am I wrong to assume that this species was named for Baltimore, Maryland? Yes! An English naturalist visiting the colonies in the early 1700s, reported that locals called this species “the Baltimore-Bird.” Apparently, the combination of orange and black of the male bird resembled the heraldic colors of Lord Baltimore, patron of the Maryland colony. Here’s another view of a female Baltimore Oriole from a previous winter… Despite their colorful plumage, orioles are members of the blackbird family! Note the resemblance in size and shape to the Red-winged Blackbird and the Meadowlark... Red-winged Blackbird male Baltimore Oriole male Meadowlark For more photos of various blackbirds… Red-Wing >> The Elusive Meadowlark >> The Birds of Black >> Steeple-Sitters >> Yucatan Land Birds >> Please follow and like: Share this:FacebookXLike this:Like Loading... Post navigation The Not-DucksGreat Egret Dockside