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Orioles in Rhode Island

Orioles in Rhode Island come down to 2 species with regular eBird records, led by the Baltimore Oriole. Together they account for 13,209 of the 2.3 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 0.6% of everything reported in the state.

The full list: Baltimore Oriole and Orchard Oriole. Orioles are the brilliant orange-and-black (or yellow-and-black) blackbird relatives that weave hanging pouch nests high in shade trees. They are summer birds across most of the country, arriving in spring and leaving by early fall.

Baltimore Oriole, the most-reported of the orioles in Rhode Island on eBird — Baltimore Oriole, the most-reported oriole in Rhode Island. Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

2Species regularly recorded

0Year-round residents

2Seasonal visitors

13,209eBird records analysed

Orioles in Rhode Island: every species, most-reported first

Every oriole with at least 25 eBird records in the state from 2020–2024, most-reported first. The status label is derived from each species’ own monthly share of all state records.

Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaMigration11,240 eBird records · 0.5% of state records

Orchard OrioleIcterus spuriusMigration1,969 eBird records · 0.09% of state records

1. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) — 11,240 records, 0.5% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in May and June with a peak in May.

2. Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) — 1,969 records, 0.09% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in May and June with a peak in May.

When to see orioles in Rhode Island

Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, orioles are most prominent in May, June and August and least in March and February. None of the 2 species is a year-round resident, so the timing below is everything.

Passage migrants. Baltimore Oriole is reported mainly in May and June; Orchard Oriole is reported mainly in May and June.

Attracting orioles to Rhode Island backyards

Orange halves, grape jelly in small amounts, and a nectar feeder with larger ports bring orioles in during spring arrival. Once nesting, they switch mostly to insects and fruit from native trees.

In Rhode Island the oriole most likely to turn up is the Baltimore Oriole. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.

All birds in Rhode Island →Feeder guides →Rhode Island native plants →

Orioles in Rhode Island: FAQ

How many species of orioles are there in Rhode Island?

2 species of orioles have regular eBird records in Rhode Island (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Baltimore Oriole and Orchard Oriole.

What is the most common oriole in Rhode Island?

The Baltimore Oriole, with 11,240 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the Orchard Oriole with 1,969. It is a passage migrant, reported mainly in May and June with a peak in May.

When is the best time to see orioles in Rhode Island?

May, June and August, when the combined share of Rhode Island eBird records belonging to orioles is highest.

Are there orioles in Rhode Island?

Yes. the Baltimore Oriole (11,240 eBird records, migration) and the Orchard Oriole (1,969 eBird records, migration) are regularly recorded in Rhode Island.

Orioles in Rhode Island: sources

Every number on this page comes from the EOD – eBird Observation Dataset published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and distributed through GBIF under a CC BY 4.0 license: Rhode Island records from 2020–2024, retrieved 2026-09-18. Species are drawn from the families Icteridae; only species with at least 25 records are listed, and a species is called a year-round resident when its monthly share of state records stays above 30% of its own peak in ten or more months. “Records” are individual eBird observations, so they reflect how often birders report a species, not a population count.