The One Color Orioles Love (And Why)

While you may have heard that hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, they're not the only bird with a favorite hue. There's one color that's practically a magnet for orioles. Many of the most common oriole species in the United States even wear this shade as if it's a team color. Orange you glad you figured it out? That's right, orioles love the color orange.

These colorful backyard birds are drawn to the color for a number of reasons. They enjoy the sweet taste of oranges, and they'll go looking for them. Like hummingbirds, orioles enjoy a sugar-water nectar, but it's the color of the feeder that they notice. Though they might visit a red hummingbird feeder, orange is even more attractive to a Baltimore oriole and other oriole species. Placing ribbons or other orange accessories around your yard and garden is another way to pique their interest.

It's worth attracting orioles to your yard for reasons beyond the chance to enjoy their beauty. Orioles are one of the birds that serve as helpers in the garden, devouring caterpillars and insects that might otherwise be munching on your plants. In addition, Baltimore orioles in particular have beautiful songs. So it's quite pleasing to have these vibrant birds serenading you from the treetops, while they scope your yard for oranges.

Orioles enjoy eating all sorts of fruits and berries, but prefer vivid, deeply-colored varieties such as blueberries, serviceberries, grapes, and mulberries. Birds see colors differently than humans do, and it could be that bright orange stands out specifically for orioles. Their retinas have four color-sensing cones compared to the three that humans have. The fourth cone detects UV light. This UV-sensing ability in orioles and other birds helps them forage for specific fruits, berries, and nectar-producing flowers that reflect UV light.

Orange isn't just about tasty food sources, however. A mature male Baltimore or Bullock's oriole boasts vivid orange plumage on its breast and belly, and that stunning hue may attract females better than the muted yellow-orange found on younger males. There's also some research to suggest the quality of an oriole's diet impacts its colors. One conclusion is that to for females, brighter colors help identify healthier mates. Other male oriole species found across North America are also rich in hue, ranging from yellow orange to the burnt orange shade of the orchard oriole. This all suggests that orange is a significant color of species survival for orioles, whether it's found in food or feathers.

While an orange-colored feeder is a great way to attract these colorful birds, there are other tactics. Even the peel of a ripe orange is like a beacon to an oriole, which is why so many oriole feeders are designed to hold an orange half (or several). You can also DIY a bird feeder from an old rake to hold orange slices. It's worth noting that orioles aren't the only birds drawn to this dramatic color — tying an orange ribbon around your trees can bring hummingbirds to your yard, as well.