article thumbnail

What is the State Bird of Maryland?

10,000 Birds

Suddenly, we catch a flash of bright orange: a Baltimore Oriole. Baltimore Orioles spend their winters in Florida, Central, and South America, and migrate north to breed in much of the Eastern United States. In 1947 , Maryland made the oriole its state bird. Orioles have often captured the imagination.

Maryland 105
article thumbnail

The Dry Tortugas: A Must for Birders

10,000 Birds

The United States built Fort Jefferson on Garden Key between 1846 to 1875 to protect its interests in the Gulf of Mexico, but was later abandoned without ever being fully completed. In 2011, I had the opportunity to visit Dry Tortugas National Park and remain for several days.