Orange birds aren’t extremely common in Minessota but, if you look hard enough, it is still possible to spot the odd few. In this article I will be going over 5 unique orange birds you can look out for in Minnesota the next time you’re out and about.

• American Robin
• Red Breasted Nuthatch
• Baltimore Oriole
• American Redstart
• Orchard Oriole 
• American Redstart 
• Eastern Bluebird 

7 Orange Birds In Minnesota

1. American Robin (Turdus Migratorius)

• Size: 12.5 – 14cm
• Weight: 16 – 22 grams
• Wingspan: 20 – 22cm

America robins can be found living in Minnesota year round whether wintering or breeding.

These robins are recognised by their gray wings, back and tail, black head, yellow beak and orange belly/breast. Females have a far duller color scheme where the plumage that is black on the males is mostly gray on the females and the breast is also a lighter orange.

American robins are often seen around woodlands, suburban backyards, parks, and grasslands with shrubs.

As for what they eat, it includes fruit, seeds, suet, crushed peanuts, sunflower hearts, raisins and a variety of insects like beetles, flies, worms etc.

American robins tend to live for an average of 2 years in the wild although some can live upto 5 or 6 years.

2. Red Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis)

• Size: 11 – 13cm
• Weight: 9 – 13 grams
• Wingspan: 18 – 22cm

Red breasted nuthatches can be found in Minnesota throughout the winter, especially up north where they seem to be permanent residents. 

These nuthatches are recognised but their rusty orange breast, their gray wings and back with a vertical black and white striped pattern on their head. Females are very similar in color scheme but, their plumage has a more washed out look.

You can find a red breasted nuthatch near coniferous forests of spruce, fir, pine, hemlock, larch, and western red cedar.

As for what they eat, it includes insects and seeds where they mostly eat spiders in the summer and in winter they chow down on a variety of different seeds, especially seeds in conifers.

The lifespan of red breasted nuthatch is around 6 years on average.

3. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus Galbula)

• Size: 15 – 20cm
• Weight: 38 – 43 grams
• Wingspan: 23 – 30cm

Baltimore orioles can be found in Minnesota when it’s breeding season. This tends to be around the beginning of April and May.

Baltimore orioles are recognised by their orange/yellow, black and white plumage, where their head and wings are black in color, their breast and the underside of the tail orange/yellow with a beak that’s black in color. Females are very similar in color besides their head which isn’t black like the males.

Baltimore orioles can be found living around open deciduous woodlands where they will build their nests within American elms, cottonwoods, and maples. 

In regards to what baltimore orioles tend to consume it includes a variety of small insects like ants, wasps. beetles, grasshoppers, flies among others. Flower nectar, smaller fruits like berries and sugar water found within feeders are some of the other sources they feed on.

A baltimore orioles lifespan tends to be around 11 years in wild.

4. American Redstart (Setophaga Ruticilla)

• Size: 11 – 14cm
• Weight: 6 – 9 grams
• Wingspan: 16 – 19cm

American redstarts can be found in Minnesota when it’s breeding season. This starts between May and they will migrate out of the state around fall and winter.

American redstarts are mostly black with elements of orange/yellow on their wings, side of their breast and the bottom of their tail, their breast white in color and the remainder of their body, black. Females are mostly gray, yellow and white.

You’ll often find American redstarts around moist, second-growth hardwood forests, with a dense shrub layer and around a lot of open wooded environments. 

As for what they eat it includes a wide variety of insects including beetles, caterpillars, moths, leafhoppers, aphids, midges, crane flies, daddy longlegs, smaller fruits and seeds.

On average they tend to live for 5 years in the wild whilst the oldest recorded redstart was known to have lived for 10 years.

5. Orchard Oriole (Icterus Spurious)

• Size: 15 – 18cm
• Weight: 16 – 28 grams
• Wingspan: 23 – 27cm

These orioles tend to spend their breeding season in Minnesota. Orchard orioles start to breed around late April to late May.

Orchard orioles are recognised by their orange breast and belly with their neck, head and back black in color. Females on the other hand are almost completely yellow with elements of of gray throughout their body.

As for where you can find these birds, they will often be located around semi-open habitats with deciduous trees and open space, including riverside trees, orchards, suburbs, forest edges,  forest clearings and prairie groves. 

These orioles also eat a variety of unique food sources such as insects, nectar from flowers, sugar water from feeders and a number of other smaller berries and fruits.

Orchard orioles tend to live for around 11 years in the wild.

6. American Redstart (Setophaga Ruticilla)

• Size: 11 – 14cm
• Weight: 6 – 9 grams
• Wingspan: 16 – 19cm

American redstarts can be found in Minnesota throughout breeding season.

American redstarts are mostly black with elements of orange/yellow on their wings, side of their breast and the bottom their tail with their breast white in color with the remainder of their body being black. Females are mostly gray, yellow and white.

The habitat American redstarts inhabit include moist, second-growth hardwood forests, with a dense shrub layer and a lot open wooded environments. 

As for what they eat it includes a wide variety of insects including beetles, caterpillars, moths, leafhoppers, aphids, midges, crane flies, daddy longlegs, smaller fruits and seeds.

On average American redstarts will live for around 5 years in the wild whilst the oldest recorded redstart’s lifespan was 10 years old.

7. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia Sialis)

• Size: 16 – 21cm
• Weight: 27 – 34 grams
• Wingspan: 25 – 33cm

Eastern bluebirds are breeding residents throughout the majority of Minnesota.

These bluebirds are recognised by their blue back and upper head, their rusty orange neck and breast, with the belly a white color. Females on the other hand have all the blue parts of the plumage replaced by a darker gray color.

You’ll often eastern bluebirds around open country around trees, with little understory and sparse ground cover. This could also include habitats like frequently burned pine savannas, beaver ponds, mature but open woods, and forest openings.

Eastern bluebirds normally consume a variety of smaller insects, suet, smaller fruits and a variety of berries.

As for how long eastern bluebirds live for, it tends to be around the 6 – 10 year range.

Related

If you want to find out about red birds in Minnesota Click Here

If you want to find out about yellow birds in Minnesota Click Here

If you want to find out about big birds in Minnesota Click Here

If you want to find out about green birds in Minnesota Click Here

If you want to find out about birds of prey birds in Minnesota Click Here

If you to find our about white birds in Minnesota Click Here