Baltimore Oriole | Audubon Field Guide

Baltimore Orioles always seem ready for Halloween.

One of the most brilliantly colored songbirds in the east, flaming orange and black, sharing the heraldic colors of the coat of arms of 17th-century Lord Baltimore. Widespread east of the Great Plains, Baltimore Orioles are often very common in open woods and groves in summer. Their bag-shaped hanging nests, artfully woven of plant fibers, are familiar sights in the shade trees in towns. This bird was formerly considered to belong to the same species as the western Bullock's Oriole, under the combined name of Northern Oriole. Conservation status Still widespread and common, but surveys show declines in recent decades. In the mid 20th century, Dutch elm disease killed many of the American elms that had been favorite nesting trees for this species in the past. Family Blackbirds and Orioles Habitat Open woods, riverside groves, elms, shade trees. Breeds in deciduous or mixed ...

Full article: http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/baltimore-oriole