The Oriole makes some of the most unique nests in nature. It's amazing that these little Northern Orioles are able to weave such an intricate nest of strings and fibers. As a human being, I'd have a hard time making a similar nest myself, yet God created these little creatures with the ability to do this without having to be taught! The shape of the nest often looks like a baseball caught in a strong spiderweb. This nest was about fifty feet above the ground. The trees that are frequently chosen are cottonwoods, poplars, birch, alder and oaks.
The migration of the Oriole is amazing. Not so much the actual migration, but how it is done. It takes 2 or 3 weeks to prepare for this flight. They molt, shedding old feathers and gaining new ones. There weight doubles in size during this time, seeing how they need to travel about 3000 miles to their southern destinations across the Gulf of Mexico. Their flight takes place at night for several reasons. First, their main predator, the Hawk, does not fly at night. Second, it is cooler at night so they are less likely to overheat on this great migration. Third, and most amazing they look to the stars to aid in their navigation. How cool is that! During the day they rest and try to eat as much as they can to continue their great journey.
I'm so grateful that God gave us beautiful birds to watch, love and appreciate. Not only color and song makes our world the wonderful place it is, but also makes our human journey more enjoyable as we migrate to our eternal home. My next challenge is to find and photograph the beautiful birds that build these "hanging masterpieces."
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