THE ORCHARD ORIOLE, 



The first of May finds the trees and 

 shrubs well clothed in tender green, the 

 air laden with the perfume of many blos- 

 soms, and bird life abounding. The 

 number has been rapidly increasing since 

 the coming of the meadow lark and robin 

 that proclaim the approach of the mov- 

 ing host. Since their songs of joyous 

 anticipation first were heard reverberating 

 through field and orchard, almost every 

 day has brought some new arrival, till 

 now the air is alive with feathered crea- 

 tures and hilarious song is rife. With 

 ever varying motions they search for 

 food and sport among the tree branches, 

 or course through the vault of heaven. 

 Nidification is now in progress in various 

 stages of advancement, according to the 

 species of bird. 



But many of our summer visitors are 

 still absent, yet just now is the season 

 that one of the most interesting should 

 make his appearance and join in the gen- 

 eral jubilee. This is the Orchard Oriole, 

 and he is among the gayest of the gay 

 of all this merry throng. 



Being a soft-billed bird, or insect eater, 

 he defers his migration until insects have 

 become plentiful. He is remarkably uni- 

 form in migration. Wintering south of 

 the United States, he enters our borders 

 about the last of March and with unusual 

 regularity steadily makes his way on- 

 ward till he reaches the northern limit 

 of his range the latter part of May. 



In the southern states and southern 

 portion of the middle states east of the 

 Rocky mountains this Oriole is one of the 

 most abundant and familiar songsters 

 that frequent the orchards and gardens. 



He is a very conspicuous bird in both 

 plumage and song. Although not quite 

 so brilliantly attired as his cousin Balti- 

 more, his coat of chestnut and black is 

 very noticeable. His song is loud and 

 gushing and resembles that of the rose- 

 breasted grosbeak enough for the super- 

 ficial observer to confound the two, but 

 to the trained ear there is a decided dif- 

 ference. The notes, though uttered with 

 force and rapidity, are varied, clear and 

 sweet. His sojourn with us is short, 

 but while here his rapturous refrain is 

 heard almost incessantly. This sprightly 

 bird is seldom, if ever, inactive, but with 

 ever-moving pinion he flits from branch 

 to branch, from tree to tree, and even 

 when giving forth his gushing melody he 

 quivers and sways. 



Orchard Orioles are masters in the art 

 of nest-building. The nest, a beautiful 

 basket-like structure about three inches 

 across and the same in length, is attached 

 to half-upright or horizontal branches. 

 Usually it is half pensile, though some 

 are wholly pendent. It is always made 

 of blades of long, slender grasses woven 

 together in a most wonderful manner 

 and lined with plant fiber and feathers. 

 As the grass is invariably used while 

 fresh and green, the nest is of a more or 

 less green hue at all times, and conse- 

 quently difficult to detect among the 

 thick foliage. The four or five bluish- 

 white eggs are spotted with a purplish 

 color. At first the nestlings are fed on 

 tiny insects and later on beetles and 

 grasshoppers. The number of noxious 

 insects a pair of these birds will destroy 

 in a season is almost incredible. 



Addie L. Booker. 



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