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2:00 pm
Quarterly Earth Day: Children’s Clean-Up
In honor of Earth Day, join us for a fun and playful afternoon of clean-up at everyone's favorite park... Dream Park at Winnequah Park in Monona.
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We can’t wait to see a hummingbird in our new hummingbird feeder!![]()
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While we wait, other birds (and ants) have been enjoying our new feeder, including this beautiful Baltimore oriole.![]()
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Baltimore orioles are migratory birds that return north in the spring to breed. Males have bright orange bellies and backs with black heads and wings, while females are a dull yellow, sometimes displaying a brown head and back. They were named for their colors, which are similar to the crest of England's Baltimore family, and their resemblance to European orioles, to whom they aren’t actually related. American orioles aren’t actually part of the Oriolidae family, instead they’re part of the family Icteridae, the same family as blackbirds and meadowlarks.![]()
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Baltimore orioles like to eat fruit, nectar, and insects. They prefer fruits and nectar in the spring and fall as sugary foods are easily converted into fat, which will supply the birds with energy for migration. When it comes to fruit, Baltimore orioles have been shown to prefer dark, ripe fruits, and, unlike other fruit eating birds, they will actively avoid lighter colored fruits, even if they are ripe. In the summer, when they’re raising young, protein from a diet of bugs is needed for growth. ![]()
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Most of a Baltimore oriole’s foraging is done in the treetops, making their occasional visits to bird feeders an exciting sight. ![]()
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Video: Bird Buddy, Aldo Leopold Nature Center![]()
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#PhenologyFriday #BaltimoreOriole #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside
