The adult appeared to be making somewhat slower and more exaggerated movements on a suet feeder as if to communicate, “Watch me eat! I thought they would have all left by now. Thank you. When to Stop Feeding Hummingbirds? But for those who have successfully attracted Orioles, they have found that grape jelly, not jam, will become their preference, and many have reported going through several pounds of jelly each week. This way you’re not overfeeding them, wasting food, or giving algae the chance to grow off the food. One particular bird wouldn’t stop begging towards an adult, it was very insistent. Oranges are one of the keys to attracting Orioles: … When do Orioles go south by: Gerry When do the Orioles start to fly south? The latest I have seen them in the past was mid August. Try out a variety of foods and feeder types when feeding orioles, and you’ll soon have these beautiful birds dining regularly in your yard. When you see apple trees (including crab apples) starting to bloom. One of my all time favorite bird feeding moments involved a Blue Jay family. They aren’t interested in seed, and are a bit skittish about visiting backyards. You may be linking these reports to the increasing popularity in feeding and gardening for birds, which isn’t far from the truth. First off, you need to make sure that you’re feeding your fish the right way to begin with. I had several Orioles stop by yesterday, they cleaned up the oranges and today is replenished oranges and grape jelly and there is no sign of them. Its like clockwork for me. We still have about 8 to 12 birds feeding (September 3, 2014). But right now we are having a snow storm, and its March 24. can someone recommend when to start this. When orioles arrive after their migration, they eat grape jelly in addition to what they usually eat in nature. I don't see Orioles until the beginning (1st or 2nd week) of May around here. Here are five guidelines proven helpful to keep in mind when feeding jelly: While some are becoming less interested in bottle-feeding by the age of 1, others have difficulty letting go until much later. You may even be surprised at who else stops by. Feeding Orioles. However, these birds aren’t really lost, that’s just part of the grand scheme of thing that will allow these birds to evolve and expand their range. It’s important to realize that every baby is different. The Orioles may drift away from the feeders while feeding their brood insects, but will return, often with their young in tow. I have tried the nectar feeder for orioles, but they try it and go straight for the jelly. Have had a male Red breasted Grosbeak also eating the jelly. Bears should also be a consideration when it comes to feeding times. When Do I Stop Feeding my Pond Fish? Female orioles are also in charge when it's time to incubate the eggs and brood the young in the nest. If you wait until you see them, you can be too late to attract maximum numbers of Orioles to your yard. Orioles do stop eating jelly and that ends right about the time oriole chicks hatch--I think they know enough to switch to protein heavy foods. Others have used other fruit trees. Grape jelly is a favorite of many birds, although you can offer other flavors, too. I hope this posting helps motivate you to search out the Baltimore oriole. Just as different people have different feeding preferences, so do different birds, even of the same species. Orioles migrate at night so they are tired, cold, and hungry when they arrive in your yard.