For the last 2 days, I have had a male Baltimore Oriole "admiring himself"
and sitting quietly  in my picture and side windows being perched on the
ledge with his eyes less than 2" away from the glass.  He never bangs or
otherwise flies into or at the window, just being perched their for up to a
minute or so at a time. He makes only the slightest landing sounds -just
wings futtering - and perching. He usually just peers around and maybe make
a calling noise (his bill moves). I say maybe as I am usually unable to
hear such calls.  At first I thought he was looking for insects but there
are none to look at.  He sometimes does this for over a half hour, only
taking a break at the jelly dish occasionally.

BTW, he is probably a local nesting resident as I usually have a pair
around during the appropriate season.

Has anyone else seen this "quiet" behavior in orioles or other birds? Is
this just his gentlemanly way of territorial defense much the same way as
the often irritating method of cardinals and robins trying to beat out
their brains in "self-defense"?.

Roger Troutman
Outside Lexington, Richland County

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