Evening star., 1901-11-23
BAL LTIMORE ORIOLES
Habits Of the Wearers of the Orange
and Black.
KNOWN BY SEVERAL OTHER NAMES
Notes Have Strange Harmony All
Their Own.
BIRDS OF SAME FAMILY


Written for The Evening Star.
know of no other bird which has so
many typical names. 1t is also called gol-
den robin, fire bird and hangnest. all of
them being especially significant. When I
first became acquainted with this oriole
had an idea that for some reason il derived
its name from the city OF Baltimore, but
found out later that 1t was so named be-
cause t wore Lord Baltimore's colors, or
ange and black.
Not many of these truly beautiful birds
nest with us. but during the spring and fall
migrations they are often quite numerous.
They are tame during the migrations. in
fact, at all times. and l have frequently
met them in the dense foliage OF the city
streets L remember last August 1 was
surprised to hear one singing in a tree IN
the very heart Of the city. The bird had
evidently nested there and remained IN
town all summer, as II was much too early
Tor the annual southern journey.
In summer the long, pensile nests. hung
from the ends of bOughs are not easily
seen, as they are usually in the dense fol-
iage; but in winter they show I'm bold re-
lief against the gray skies. These birds are
not at all shy and retiring during their
nesting. as is common among most of our
birds. / have seen their nests very near
houses and over lawns on which people
were constantly passing. In a small coun-
try town which has fine large shade trees
PAIR or two usually build year after year
on the long branches Of some elm syca-
more or silver-leaf poplar.
Inc song of this bird is not nearly so fine
as that of Its cousin. the orchard oriole but
1t has strange harmony all its own and
which seems to be just what II should as
IL noatS down from the dense greenery
Great numbers Of bird songs have peculiar
qualities which fit their environment The
clear, silver notes of the dainty wood
thrush always suggest the deep woodland.
with hicker1ng shadows and the low muir
mur OF the leaves. The song of the brown
thrush and the music Of the mocking bird
are best heard when the songster flies 10
the top OF some low-growing tree and al
lows his voice to fill all space with its har-
monies. The song of the water thrush
brings to mind the quick rush OF some tinv
stream running through the moss-coverad
roots and falling in miniature cascades as
IL hurries away. The whistle of the mead
ow lark, clear and fresh. and the notes of
the dickcissel are typical of wide stretches
and wheat lands.
Hunters of Insects.
1t is extremely hard to learn much OF
the everyday life of birds which obtain
their living among the foliage of forest
and shade trees / have often been intent
upon the movements of the Baltimore oriole
as 1t worked its way along the slender
branches, only to have 1t fly into another
tree and become lost to view. These orioles
like the warblers, are indefatigable hunters
OF insects, their eggs and larvae. If one
will sit and watch oriole as II searches
through the leaves he will understand how
much good the birds do the tree. The
bright coat can seldom be seen in the CEN
ter of the tree or upon any of its larger
branches, but it's color flashes in the tree
top and on the ends of the long, pendant
boughs. AS the slender twig bends with
the weight of the bird the orioIe almost
appears to stand its head among the
leaves in its search for insects there Then
when there from four to six hungry
mouths in the swinging cradle for the
old birds to feed they are forced to re-
double their efforts in insect hunting. The
oriole family must destroy millions of in
sects and their eggs each week.
AS look at nature day by day, / Won
der more why man will not notice her and
follow her suggestions. OF course man
must earn his living, and when nature
stands In his way he must push her aside.
He cannot allow her unreStrained to take
possession of his pasture land or his fields
but even then he must yield to her In
part. All man can do is to assist nature
in rational way, and this is just what he
has not done. The birds the husbandman
and horticulturalists best friends. have not
been protected as they should, and man to-
day is paying for 1t in hard cash. l DO not
mean to say that birds are sovereign ren-
edy for all the ills which vegetation suffers,
but 1 do know and believe that their pro-
lection would help matters greatly.
The Baltimore oriole is one of natures
gorgeous contrasting harmonies in color,
orange and black. The female is much
more soberly garbed in the same colors
her mate wears.
The Orchard OrioIe.
This glorious singer of the warm summer
days is a close kinsman of the Baltimore
oriole. His coat is not so beautiful, being
dark chestnut where the Baltimore is or
ange. His name, orchard oriole. is very ap-
propriate as he and his mate are partial to
trees in young orchards. The closely woven
nest is placed high in the top Of some young
tree and there the babies are rocked by
each passing breeze. The nest does not
hang the nest of the Baltimore oriole,
but is woven with a number of small
branches about its edge 20 hold IT secure.
1 have often sat and watched these orioles
they hurried to and fro, feeding a hum
CRY brood Of young. Occasionally the male
would burst into song as he sat near the
nest; then as he hurried after more food,
he would sing as he flew by me- When he
sings, his wings and tail droop and fiutter
with the rising and falling of his song
Like the Baltimore oriole. this bird has
a sharp pointed bill which is extremely
useful in picking out insects. their young
and their eggs from leaf buds. The orioles
whole life seems to be passed in shade ana
orchard trees, where he hunts for insects.
1t would seem that in the green leaves
these birds would be rather conspicuous.
but they are not. l have watched for fifteen
minutes after l had heard their notes in
the foliage before / could catch sight of
them. The female is not nearly so gaudily
dressed the male. Her olive shaded coat
makes her inconspicuous she sits on her
nest in the thick greenery.