Orioles are easy to attract to your garden with mast producing trees and shrubs.

Mature mast-producing trees such as such as oak, maple, and elm are the preferred nesting spots of orioles, who build their nests 20-40 feet above the ground.

Mast-producing trees are also the best source of three of orioles’ favorite food sources: fruit, insects, and nectar.

The most important source of food for orioles during nesting season is insects. Plant a mix of mast-producing trees that bloom in spring and early summer to attract insects to feed your orioles and their nestlings. These flowering trees and shrubs also provide a source of nectar for orioles.

Some mast-producing trees with insignificant flowers are also good choices due to their popularity with insect herbivores. For example, the oak family (Quercus) attracts more than 500 species of caterpillar alone.

For much of the rest of the summer, fruit is the most popular food for orioles. Favorite species include mulberries, serviceberries, blackberries and raspberries, wild cherries, and mountain ash.

To supplement your natural food sources, you can also purchase special oriole feeders, which often come with 3 separate feeding stations for mealworms, sugar water, and domestic fruits such as oranges, apples, figs, and pears.