Here’s Why You Should Put Up Orange Slices in Your Birdfeeders

While most bird enthusiasts invest in seeds and suet treats to attract a variety of birds to their garden or backyard, a certified gardening expert has chimed in with a new option. Fruits can be used as an alternative for bird feed as they are easily accessible, provide sufficient nutrition, and require little maintenance. However, not all birds love fruits and the bird species attracted to your garden may vary when putting out ripe fruits for the feathered visitors. Lori Vanover of Birds and Blooms suggested that oranges are a great bet because of the low maintenance among other perks.

Oranges do not require a fancy or complex feeder to make them accessible for the garden birds. One can use something as simple as a nail, hammer it into a deck railing or fencepost, and attach a juicy orange fruit to the nail. Wait patiently until you spot a few curious-looking birds assessing the feed. People can also use their already-owned platform bird feeders to give the birds orange treats by simply placing them in the feeder. The best time to place oranges as bird feed is during the spring. Gardeners can use their wisdom to place the fruits at ideal hours of the day that may align with the foraging patterns of birds. 

Orioles are most attracted to fruit bird feeders in the backyard and prefer oranges over other fruits. That is mainly because orioles also possess bright orange feathers resembling that of the fruit. Hence, if you spot beautiful orange birds pecking on an orange you put out, your trick worked. Special feeders for orioles are available but it is advisable to select orange-colored ones that catch their attention. Other feeds for orioles include grape jelly and sugar water, per the source. It is possible that the orioles may like your garden a bit too much and start nesting alongside a good supply of fresh oranges. However, other types of birds also like fresh and juicy oranges, including Western tanagers, Gray catbirds, rose-breasted grosbeaks, northern mockingbirds, brown thrashers, and more. 

In addition to oranges, apples, overripe bananas, handfuls of grapes, and bits of melon can also be placed on platform feeders for the birds to eat. Crabapple trees, raspberries, and berry bushes are also enticing additions to the garden that can attract colorful birds. Just like humans, fruits provide essential nutrients like vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants that aid their hydration and digestion, per a Birdify report. Vitamins A, C, and K are supremely important for eyesight, disease immunity, and the health of birds. The Mount Pleasant Vet Clinics suggests that fresh fruits and vegetables should make up 25% of every bird’s diet. You will be charmed to see moths and butterflies also attracted to your garden to feed on ripe fruits. 

Some frugivorous birds, however, prefer a specific fruit over others. Toucans are known for their fruit diets as their enhanced sturdy beaks are suitable for pecking fruits. They also feed on berries, figs, and tropical fruits, per the report. The American Robin primarily feeds on insects all year round but resorts to fruits like berries and apples during the autumn and winter months. The Lorijeet is innately built to feed on the juicy pulps of fruits. Its brush-tipped tongues facilitate the extraction of nectar and juices from mangoes, papayas, and grapes.