Orioles flock to full feeders

Q I used to have lots of Baltimore orioles feeding from the jelly feeders in my Lino Lakes yard. This year, I haven't had one. Has the number of orioles in Minnesota declined?

A According to the Breeding Bird Survey, the population of Baltimore orioles has remained stable in the United States from 1980 to 1994.

Because the males do not defend large breeding territories, the number of nesting birds in a given area can fluctuate widely depending on food availability, on the weather conditions when birds arrive on breeding grounds and many other factors.

Keep your hopes up and your jelly feeders full. You also may want to offer halves of oranges and see if this helps attract orioles.

Listen carefully for their loud, clear call. You may be able to hear them in your area even if they aren't feeding in your yard.

Owls aplenty Q I'm noticing barred owls in places I've never seen them before. Do they migrate?

A Barred owls are resident birds in Minnesota. But, like any birds, they have to have food, shelter and habitat to survive. If their food supplies dwindle, barred owls will move to where they can find adequate food.

Name that raptor Q Because we feed birds year-round, we attract a lot of pigeons -- and raptors. A few days ago, I heard a huge whoosh and discovered a large hawklike bird that had captured a pigeon.

The raptor was almost as big as an eagle, had a gray-brown back, very orange neck and breast feathers and a wide-spread tail with gray and black stripes.

We've looked in our bird books, but couldn't figure out what is was. Could it have been a mature Cooper's hawk?

A Yes. You've given a good description of a Cooper's hawk, the primary avian predator of Minnesota feeder birds.

Because it was so large, it may have been a female. (Female Cooper's hawks are about 30 percent larger than males.)