I have already set up my backyard bird feeding station, and this week, I’m adding a feeder for my orioles — For orioles, think fresh oranges and grape jelly.
Baltimore Oriole Migration Map
Image Credit: Cornell Lab
Migration
“Medium- to long-distance migrant. Baltimore Orioles spend summer and winter in entirely different ranges. From early April to late May, flocks arrive in eastern and central North America to breed from Louisiana through central Canada. They start to leave as early as July for wintering grounds in Florida, the Caribbean, Central America, and the northern tip of South America.” All About Birds
Image Credit: Through the Years with Birds and Poets
In February, I created a backyard bird feeding station. I began by adding several suet feeders–primarily for my mockingbird, who has been my most faithful backyard bird.
Image Credit: Through the Years with Birds and Poets
A few weeks later, I can say that my mockingbird loves the suet with mealworms, and a few other birds have also appeared during the month. I believe a chickadee has drifted in and out, and I’ve seen sparrows, robins, bluejays, and cardinals.
How to Attract & Identify Backyard Birds in Mississippi Gardens
In a few days, I’ll set up my hummingbird feeders:
The Ruby Throated Hummingbirds Will Migrate through Mississippi in March – How Do I Prepare?
Image Credit: Through the Years with Birds and Poets
And I have ordered the following feeder to begin preparing for the orioles, which I believe will appear in April:
Forup Oriole Feeder
Image Credit: Forup
Be sure to also have water sources and areas of shelter for all your birds.
Image Credit: Mississippi State Extension Service
https://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/publications/P2402_web.pdf
“Three Basic Needs of Wildlife Creating your backyard habitat can be very easy once you understand that wildlife, just like people, have three basic needs—food, water, and cover.” Mississippi State Extension Service
- Provide food: Hang cut oranges from trees, fill oriole feeders with sugar water, put out small amounts of jelly, or offer mealworms. You can also plant bright fruits and nectar-bearing flowers, such as raspberries, crab apples, and trumpet vines.
- Plant trees and shrubs: American basswood, American elderberry, aspen, crabapple, elm, maple, oak, red mulberry, black cherry, blueberry, serviceberry, and sycamore are all attractive to Baltimore orioles.
- Provide water: Baltimore orioles will occasionally drink from hummingbird nectar feeders.” Generative ai
I have planted blueberries, elderberry, and crabapples. In addition, I have a coral honeysuckle vine growing beside the feeding station.
Coral Honeysuckle – Mississppi Native Plant – Focus on Flowers