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Orioles in Tennessee
Orioles in Tennessee come down to 3 species with regular eBird records, led by the Orchard Oriole. Together they account for 30,039 of the 8.7 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 0.3% of everything reported in the state.
The full list: Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole and Bullock's 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.
Orioles in Tennessee: 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.
1. Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) — 20,797 records, 0.2% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from April to July and peaking in June.
2. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) — 9,077 records, 0.1% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in April, May, June and August with a peak in May.
3. Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) — 165 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a winter visitor, present mainly from December to January and peaking in January.
When to see orioles in Tennessee
Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, orioles are most prominent in May, June and April and least in March and November. None of the 3 species is a year-round resident, so the timing below is everything.
Summer visitors. Orchard Oriole arrives around April and is mostly gone after July (peak June).
Winter visitors. Bullock's Oriole arrives around December and leaves after January (peak January).
Passage migrants. Baltimore Oriole is reported mainly in April, May, June and August.
Attracting orioles to Tennessee 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 Tennessee the oriole most likely to turn up is the Orchard Oriole. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.
Orioles in Tennessee: FAQ
How many species of orioles are there in Tennessee?
3 species of orioles have regular eBird records in Tennessee (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole and Bullock's Oriole.
What is the most common oriole in Tennessee?
The Orchard Oriole, with 20,797 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the Baltimore Oriole with 9,077. It is a summer visitor, present mainly from April to July and peaking in June.
When is the best time to see orioles in Tennessee?
May, June and April, when the combined share of Tennessee eBird records belonging to orioles is highest. Summer visitors such as the Orchard Oriole arrive around April. Winter visitors such as the Bullock's Oriole arrive around December.
Are there orioles in Tennessee?
Yes. the Orchard Oriole (20,797 eBird records, summer visitor), the Baltimore Oriole (9,077 eBird records, migration) and the Bullock's Oriole (165 eBird records, winter visitor) are regularly recorded in Tennessee.
More birds in Tennessee
Orioles in other states
Orioles in Tennessee: 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: Tennessee 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.