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Emory Winship
Sonoma, CA, USA
We’ve read that Hooded Orioles have only been seen in Northern California for 3 or 4 years now. We have been privileged to have a growing family in our garden since we first spotted the breeding pair here May 15, 2018 until now, August 29, and the last three offspring are still here. Unfortunately, the final male is deformed, but his sisters are fine.
Blackbirds & Thrushes
Breeding Male
We have had hooded orioles since we moved into our current house in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, CA, in the summer of 2001. We often have two pairs, and one year we had three. They usually nest in our palm tree, but the year we had three, one was in an oak tree. A male has been here for several days as I write. I saw a reference that the male arrives first to establish territory. I was looking to find out if the male builds the nest before the female arrives, but have not found a reference to that so far.
Hi Curtis, Currently, NestWatch lists only common nesting species on our website. That being said, more information on all species can be found on All About Birds and Birds of the World (BOW involves a small subscription fee). Hooded Oriole males arrive to breeding ground about a week earlier than females on average. The nest is constructed by the female.
any sighting yet in Sonoma?
Pair at humming bird feeder in Cotati since +- March 24, 2021.
Boyes hot springs backyard humming bird last year male and female today 4-4-2021 male
Pair of hooded orioles dipping their insects into jelly on our new oriole feeder, then taking the jellied bug down to their nest somewhere in oaks at bottom of our property. We’re up on the east side of Sonoma Mtn, directly west of Sonoma State University/Green Music Center.
We got a male in West Petaluma hanging out in an oak tree. Thought it was a pet! So pretty!
Today! Late afternoon, in W Petaluma, a mated pair…My back garden @ an h- bird feeder then popping in and out of a shrubby magnolia for abt an hour.
We have Hooded Orioles here at the Raford Inn in Healdsburg/Forestville every year. I saw one on our pergola early this evening. I’ll try to get a picture tomorrow.
Just saw one in my backyard in Sebastopol. It likes our torch lillies.. I don’t recall seeing them before
April 10th this year they showed up in Petaluma
In less than 2 weeks they should be showing up for like the 8th year in a row
Put out oranges and grape jelly and an oriole feeder everyday and they should be there till at least August September range
We had one on our hummingbird feeder this morning in Auberry, CA. Had not seen one before. Such a bright yellow couldn’t miss it. I’m on the lookout now.
This is the second year at my apartment and the second year I have seen a pair – male and female – come to my hummingbird feeders. They’re beautiful!
I failed to mention my location: Glen Ellen, CA.
Just saw my first Hooded Oriole land on my hummingbird feeder! In Rincon Valley, Santa Rosa.
This year several Hooded Orioles arrived at my hummers feeder and thr hummers stopped coming. More Orioles came for sever weeks, both morning and evenings. Now (June 7, 2022) Only a single Oriole somes briefly, now and then. Is it OK to take down the feeder so the one that’s left will leave? I want my hummers to come back.
We have a nesting pair in our home in Sebastopol. Their nest is hanging from high eves on our house. It looks like 3 babies are poking out. This is their first year; such beautiful birds!
Just had a hooded oriole at my hummingbird feeder for less than a minute before a Anna’s chased it off. Here in Rincon Valley by Carrillo high school. First time. Beautiful!
Just had a male hooded oriole in our bird bath in Red Bluff, CA. A first for our yard! Gorgeous! Unusual weather today, overcast, humid and not too hot for this time of summer.
i”m In Sebastopol Ca,We’ve had apair at our humming bird feeder for a couple of weeks now. I haven’t seen a nest site yet but I’m starting to look for one
I’m in Santa Rosa. Had a pair on my hummingbird feeder today for quite a long time. Of course they ignored the orange and grape jelly😁
A pair have been using hummingbird feeder several times a day for the past week. Grace Tract, Santa Rosa.
Just spotted our first male here in East Petaluma, hanging out in our bottle brush tree! Lovely looking bird. Large palm in our neighbors, read that is their habitat?
Just saw perched in our backyard pear tree in the Eldridge/ Glen Ellen area!
Just saw one perched in our backyard pear tree in the Eldridge/ Glen Ellen area!
I have a return visitor from last year that likes my largest hummingbird feeder 😍 I’m in West Santa Rosa near Imwalle’s Looks like a male😉
Male was outside this morning in a tree across from my deck, Rincon Valley, Sonoma County.
First sighting in Guerneville. Male and multiple females on my deck this morning. Likely feeding on plum tree. One female flew into a window, luckily recovered and flew off after a few minutes. Hope they visit again! So pretty.
Saw yellow oriel feeding the sugar/water from my hummingbird feeder, hadn’t seen one before here in Riverside, county.
We have hooded oriole birds for two -4 years also ! Just saw a baby this am ! Very bright yellow amazing colors ! Hope everyone gets to see them soon ! Agua Caliente hill region is we’re I see them ! More lately last couple months than ever ! Hope that means more and more baby’s !
We have had them here for 20+ yrs, San Luis Obispo County, CA. They arrive early spring, March/April, male 1st to the hummingbird feeder, leave end of July usually but this year still here in middle of August. Now visiting the feeder often, male, female and young ones, I think their getting ready to migrate soon and are filling up. Hummers don’t seem to mind them.
I just saw my first hooded oriole at my hummingbird feeder in West Petaluma.
We have a male and female that have been visiting our hummingbird feeders for a couple of months now. We live in San Rafael, CA.
Here in Ben Lomond, CA we have a nesting couple of Hooded Orioles in our Washingtonia Palm!
They have visited our hummingbird feeder before but now they are staying to have their little ones here. We can see their cupped purse-like nest hanging from underneath a huge palm leaf out our back window. The wind blows them around but they are holding fast.
We have a pair that have been visitng our hummingbird feeders for several months now in Clayton, CA. They initially would always visit together, now they do so separately. I hope they are nesting successfully.
I had a pair of orioles with a nest in a eucalyptus tree here in Bloomfield (west petaluma). They were so active (and loud) for a couple weeks. Now all of a sudden they’re gone. I hope their babies made it okay. 6/30/25
A hooded oriole visited my patio briefly this afternoon on the east side of Rohnert Park.
I’ve had a pair of hooded orioles visit my oriole feeder (sugar water) infrequently for a few months starting in April of 2025. The last sighting of a male was in early July. I put out grape jelly, but they ignored that. I have freeze dried mealworms in a feeder for a breeding pair of western bluebirds, but the orioles ignored that as well. I am located on the north course of Foxtail golf club in Rohnert Park. There are lots of Mexican fan palms in the area.
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