This season's articles (Excerpted from our printed newsletter):
The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
There are about 340 species of hummingbirds in the world but only the Ruby-Throated is common to our area. This tiny bird is only about 3 inches long and weighs between 6 and 8 grams. (102 Ruby Throated hummingbirds weigh as much as a 12-oz. can of Coke.) Its back is iridescent green with a white breast and belly. The male has a black throat patch that reflects bright ruby red in the sunlight. They fly up to 60 miles per hour and their wings can beat 60-200 times per second. Their eggs are ½ the size of a jelly bean which makes it the smallest egg in the bird world. Their heart beats an incredible 1260 times a minute and breathes 250 times a minute. The hummer does not "sing" but will chatter or buzz to communicate. Their life span is 5 to 6 years.
A great deal of energy is spent flying so the hummingbird must eat constantly. They can consume up to half of their weight in sugar each day. They usually feed on nectar, tree sap and pollen, although they also need protein and add insects and spiders to their diet. Their bills are long and tapered, perfectly suited for probing into the center of tubular flowers for nectar, which they take up at the rate of about 13 licks per second. Their tongues are grooved to collect the nectar, not hollow like a straw.
Hummingbirds are able to perch and will do so at the feeders. Because they fly so much, they have poorly developed feet and can barely walk. They are much more comfortable in flight, which can be up, down, forward, backward and sometimes sideways, and are able to stop in midair.
Hummers like to take a bath on a cupped leaf or shallow dish. This allows them to preen their feathers for flight. They also enjoy flying through a water mist, either at a birdbath or sprinkler.
Want to attract hummingbirds? Plant a variety of flowers and shrubs that attract them, add a few feeders and a water mister, then be patient. They are fascinating to watch and usually have no fear of us slow-moving animals.
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