When you live at Highland Woods, you are surrounded by natural preservation areas. Because of that, you have an opportunity to share your space with some beautiful and interesting wildlife. And you can make your backyard a welcome place, where a few of the most beautiful birds of the area will return to again and again—orioles and hummingbirds.

Even if you are not into birding, when you see how simple it can be to attract these wonders of nature, your interest may be piqued. And when you spot your first of these birds in your backyard, your fascination with birding is sure to grow!

To attract hummingbirds

Hummingbirds abound in the area, but they are certain to visit and hover in your yard—even with you nearby—if you provide them with a hummingbird feeder. These can be purchased at any hardware store and most major supermarkets (Target, Meijer, Walmart, etc.) for between $10-$25. The solution to attract hummingbirds is simple—4 parts warm tap water to one part sugar. Stir the sugar until it dissolves, fill the feeder, and welcome your new friends! Tip: Fill your feeder enough to last a few days. Any extra can be stored in your fridge for up to a week.

To attract orioles

Orioles are more rare, but when you can attract one to your feeder, you will feel so accomplished! These bright orange-bellied beauties in the Highland Woods area have a definite sweet tooth—they typically will be attracted to an orange that has been sliced in half, and grape jelly. You can either smear the jelly onto a sliced open orange, or you can hollow out the orange peel and fill it with grape jelly.

You can also purchase an oriole feeder, or we found these easy instructions for a DIY oriole feeder.

Good luck, and happy birding!

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