The Hooded Oriole is an ingenious engineer. It strips the fibers from the leaves of the Washingtonia fan palms commonly used for landscaping. By sewing the nest to the underside of the leaves it gives its nest both shade and protection from the rain. The male is strikingly colored in yellow-orange and black; the female is mostly yellow-green. Hooded Orioles are migratory, arriving in March or very late February, departing in late August and early September. They feed on both insects and flower nectar. (SDNHM)