The Baltimore Orioles are in town, and I don’t mean just the ones playing away games at Yankee Stadium this past week. I’m referring to the all-star birds of orange and black, joining the major league Cardinals and Blue Jays above the athletic fields and all around the edges of Inwood Hill Park. Most Baltimore Orioles began arriving in late April and early May and are expected to stay through the better part of the summer, departing in August or soon after Labor Day.
The Baltimore Orioles, and a few Orchard Orioles, too, add a bit of excitement to the summer months. They are excellent athletes, demonstrating agility in foraging for food and building exquisite hanging nests. You may have experience, like me, in setting out slices of oranges for them to eat on their journey. I enjoy listening to their song. Their commanding voices fall in a lower register than many birds, and I consider them the mezzo-sopranos of the forest chorus.
As I’ve spotted a female Baltimore Oriole gathering nesting material, some little ones will be born in the wilds of New York City. I don’t know if that will make them Yankees fans, but the city may leave a lasting impression for future returns. In June the baby orioles will hatch, and in July they will learn how to take care of themselves. In theory, baby orioles born in Northern Manhattan with exceptional eyesight should have good views of Yankee Stadium on the other side of the river.
Baltimore Orioles prefer high deciduous trees but not a deep forest environment. They select the high trees at the forest edge. In Inwood Hill Park, look for them in these places. The best view is from the trail that leads up the hill toward the Henry Hudson Bridge near the point where the path begins to curve under the river. Like them, you should still be able to see the Salt Marsh but enjoy a closer view of the treetops. Still, it’s often challenging to see orioles in full view behind the leaves. I frequently see them upside down or sideways as they forage for fruits and insects.
Baltimore Orioles spend a good deal of time and energy in migration, making long journeys for their off-season winter stay in Florida or south into Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America.
Cover image: Baltimore Oriole. May 24, 2023. Inwood Hill Park.
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