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About Hummingbirds

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about hummingbirds

Hummingbirds (also known as hummers) are indeed amazing little creatures that offer beauty, excitement and adventure to any yard.  With 343 different species, hummingbirds are only found in North and South America.  The United States is home to 16 different species of hummingbirds. Each year, many of these amazing little birds make the 2000 mile migration from Mexico to the United States.  These tiny birds actually fly 500 miles non-stop over the Gulf of Mexico during this annual migration.  They have my respect!  The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only one that breeds east of the Mississippi River.  The Black-chinned Hummingbird is the most common species found in the western portion of the United States.

Red Throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Hummingbirds are perhaps best known for their ability to fly backwards.  This special ability is unique among birds and is possible because they can rotate their wings in a circular manner.  Much to the delight of birdwatchers everywhere, they can also fly straight up, straight down, sideways and even upside down over a short distance.   During normal flight, hummingbirds typically fly at 25 miles per hour and can reach speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour during a courtship dive. 

Black Chinned Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird

The courtship dive is performed by the male hummingbird at the start of nesting season in order to attract the attention of the female hummingbirds.  The male begins as high as 60 feet in the air and then dives toward the ground forming a wide arc and returns back up its original height.  Forming a U-shaped pattern, these dives are performed 3-4 times in a row.  Not only do these dives attract females, but they also scare off any competition from other males in the area.  During these courtship dives, their wings flap up to 200 times per second producing a sound that also helps them attract the opposite sex.

You won’t find hummingbirds making a home in your new birdhouse next spring.  They typically find a tree that offers some degree of protection from the elements such as a fir tree.  The Hummingbird will rest on a branch and go into a state of sleep to help it conserve energy.  This state of sleep is known as “torpor” and is in reality a state of semi-hibernation.  It is not uncommon to find a hummingbird asleep and hanging upside down from a tree limb until warmed by the sun and awakened only to resume its active life.

These tiny avian powerhouses tend to feed 5-8 times every hour on sugar that they often get from flower nectar or tree sap.  Thankfully, these birds are easily attracted to the nectar that is offered in the typical hummingbird feeder.  They are also known to return to the same feeding spots year after year.  They are also known to eat insects and pollen to help build muscle.  One of the reasons these birds are so entertaining to watch is because they usually feed for 30-60 seconds at time, offering the bird watcher plenty of opportunity for observation.  In order to provide nourishment for their active lifestyles, these birds will eat up to 2/3 times their body weight in food each day giving them the distinction of highest metabolism of any animal on earth. 

Contrary to popular belief, hummers do not suck the nectar out of the feeder with their bills.  Their bills are long and tapered enough to fit into the tube shaped flower ports that come with most feeders.  They actually lap the nectar up with their grooved tongues at of rate of 13 times per second.  Lets think about that! How many times can you lick an ice cream cone in one second?

 

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