8.5x12 Oil on Walnut
 
Of course the Baltimore Oriole lives in Baltimore but also in the Midwest. The amazing thing about this bird is the hanging nest.  Suspended like a basketball net from a high-up branch, this nest is made up of thin, intertwined fibers.  This seemingly delicate cradle can carry up to 7 eggs and lasts months beyond its intended purpose.   To build the nest, the female pokes one end of the string through and then pulls her head back to weave it out - just like when you crochet or knit.  She spends about half an hour doing that, then goes away to get another long piece of grass and do more weaving.