Date: 1/15/26 3:18 pm From: Nate Dias (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Mealworms for Orioles
I meant to mention this sooner, but for those of you feeding jelly to wintering Baltimore Orioles - during cold snaps like this when insect prey is less available, you can give your orioles some protein and carbs by offering them dried mealworms.
They quickly find the mealworms - due to smelling them I think. Then they scarf them down and fight over them.
I recommend offering the mealworms in a different container / feeder than your jelly arrangement. Having the mealworms and jelly next to each other in the same compartment/container soon results in a gooey mixture that the Orioles seem not to like.
Before switching to some home-made feeders, my mother used the bottom half of a dish style hummingbird feeder with the top half removed. This makes a clear container that I think makes it easier for the Orioles to find the mealworms.
Hang the feeder (for example an Aspects dish style hummingbird feeder) next to a branch or perch - that way the Orioles are not tempted to hop on and off the side of the hummingbird feeder, which could spill your mealworms onto the ground. If possible, I would avoid the tiny dish type hummingbird feeders for both capacity and stability reasons.
Feel free to email me follow-up questions off-list.
"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle shot." -- Bror Blixen
