When do orioles leave Ohio? (to migrate south)

As the middle of summer arrives in Ohio, Baltimore Orioles & Orchard Orioles are getting ready to start their migration back south to Central America, northern South America, and even Florida.

when do orioles leave

Crazy, right? It feels like they just got here. I hate knowing I won’t get to see these beautiful orange birds until next spring!

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At this time of year, a common question I get asked is:

 

“When do orioles leave Ohio?“

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First, let me give you my disclaimer that there isn’t a specific date every year that orioles leave Ohio to head south for migration. They rely upon their instinct to tell them when it’s time to go.

 

During July, most baby orioles are leaving the nest and becoming independent. Once that occurs and breeding season is over, the parents start molting their body and flight feathers in anticipation of their migration south.

when do orioles leave

Believe it or not, some orioles leave Ohio as early as July!

 

But the majority of orioles start their migration south in August.

 

By September, it’s rare to see any orioles still hanging around.

To attract orioles to their yard, many people set out fresh oranges, grape jelly, and nectar, which orioles will readily consume when they first get back to Ohio in the spring. But as summer progresses and flowers bloom, fruits ripen, and bugs are readily available, orioles don’t need your feeders as much.

 

So even though orioles may still be in the area, it’s pretty common for them to stop visiting feeders in early summer.

 

Most seasons, I put my oriole feeders away in July because the birds have stopped using them! My recommendation is to observe your feeding station regularly, so you know when the orioles have stopped visiting for the year.

 

Interestingly, you can also TRACK orioles to see if any birds are still in Ohio!

 

Try using EBIRD to see if anyone has still been seeing orioles near you.

 

If you want to learn how to use eBird to do this, please watch the video below! (In the video, I am demonstrating how to track hummingbirds, but the same concept applies to orioles. 🙂 )

 

When do you usually see the last oriole in Ohio?

 

Please leave a comment below.

 

Please make sure to mention WHERE you live!

 

Thanks for reading. 🙂

Scott is the creator of Bird Watching HQ. His goal is to inspire you to care more about the birds and wildlife in YOUR backyard. Over the past 5 years, he has been focused on improving the habitat in his own yard by doing things like adding native plants, not using pesticides, etc. He is happy to report that over 50 species of birds have now been seen on his 1.5-acre property (that's in a suburban neighborhood). Learn more about Scott on his About page. And make sure to check out his LIVE bird cameras.

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5 Comments

  1. It’s Sept 3 in Richfield, OH and I still get Orioles. I left my feeder out all summer with grape jelly and the orioles and finches used it regularly. I have to add jelly every day, including today!

    Reply

  3. Leave your feeders up until September. It’s late August and we’ve had two different male/female partners visit our feeders today. They may be transient, but they still need food. July? Waaaaay too early to remove them in NE Ohio.

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  5. I usually stop seeing Baltimore Orioles towards the end of July or beginning of August. This year, I still have 2 as of end of August in NE Ohio

    Reply