They Fly Backwards: Hummingbirds
One of my fondest childhood memories is of watching the hummingbirds through the picture window at my grandfather's house in Laguna Beach, California. The tiny, ruby-throated birds with green backs and wings presented a picture of beauty and impossible aerobatics when they hovered in the air, sucking sweet nectar out of the flowers, and then flew backward in search of new sources of food. They can turn completely around without seeming to move, and they can even fly upside down!
When I put out my own hummingbird feeder in this small mountain community, I expected to see the same colorful little birds coming by for a drink.
I was surprised to find that our hummingbirds are larger and far less colorful,; their feathers are plain brown.
However, they do perform the same air show as their smaller cousins.
You don't have to be an expert to enjoy watching these pretty little creatures, but learning more about them can foster a deeper appreciation for them.
These tiny creatures are also useful. They can help to rid your garden of harmful insects, while pollinating the flowers.
About Hummingbirds
The Hummingbird Society states that there are 328 species of hummingbird, and that 28 of those species are endangered. Hummingbird World describes 17 species of hummingbirds:
Ruby-Throated; Allen's; Anna's; Berylline; Black-Chinned; Blue-Throated; Broad-Billed; Broad-Tailed; Buff-Bellied; Costa's; Calliope; Lucifer; Magnificent; Rufous; Starthroat; Violet-Crowned; White-Eared.
You can learn more at their web site. The link is in the references at the end of this article.
Hummingbirds can weigh anywhere between 2 and 20 grams, which is very small. They come in a variety of colors and sizes, and they can be found in almost any habitat in the western hemisphere. They are not found in other parts of the world.
We most often see them drinking nectar from flowers or from feeders that people put out, but they also eat insects and small spiders. They use their long, slender beaks and extensible tongues to reach into flowers and drink the nectar at the bottom of the blossom.
Their method of flight is very inefficient, so they need huge amounts of food to keep them alive. They often consume an amount of nectar equal to or even twice their body weight every day.
While flying, they rotate the entire wing, without flexing their wrist or hand joints. Compared to other birds, they have very short hands and very long fingers.
Adult males usually have very bright, colorful plumage, while females are usually plain. This is called "sexual dimorphism" (di means dual, and morph means form).
Sometimes you might mistake the hummingbird moth for a hummingbird, but if you look closely, you can see the difference.
Attracting Hummingbirds
You can attract hummingbirds to your yard with a feeder, or by planting a variety of flowering plants. This will enable you to enjoy watching them from a distance of at least six feet, preferably inside your house, so you don't disturb them or scare them away.
They also need places to perch at night, so they can sleep safely. Trees, large shrubs and cacti make ideal perches for hummingbirds. They also need a shallow pool of water, such as a birdbath. Unlike some other types of birds, hummingbirds cannot bathe by rolling in dust or dirt. Their diet of sugar water gets their feathers so sticky that they can't get clean by preening, so they need a source of water for bathing.
Flowering Plants
You need to choose flowering plants that will grow well in your area, as well as blossoms that will attract the hummingbirds.
Fragrance might attract insects, but not hummingbirds, as they do not have a sense of smell. In fact, most hummingbird flowers have no fragrance.
Hummingbirds generally prefer red or orange flowers, but they will come to any color if they learn that the flowers contain plenty of nectar. For example, I have a butterfly bush that produces purple blossoms, and the hummingbirds come to feed from it. The butterflies come around, as well, so I'm often treated to the sight of a variety of colorful creatures.
They prefer long, tubular blossoms that they can easily penetrate with their beaks to get to the nectar. One of their favorites is the honeysuckle, especially the Lonicera sempervirens (Trumpet Honeysuckle), which has long, tubular, bright red blossoms filled with sweet nectar. My honeysuckle, a climbing vine that has taken over my chain link fence, has white blossoms, and it does attract these tiny birds. They also like some members of the mint family: Salvias (Salvia spp.); Bee Balm (Monarda spp.); and Giant Hyssop (Agastache spp.), as well as a variety of other flowers, including the mallow family and the evening primrose family.
You can learn more at the web site of The Hummingbird Society. Their link is one of the references at the end of this article.
Feeders
What if you live in an apartment or other dwelling that does not have a yard? Flowers are the natural way to attract hummingbirds, so you might want to consider putting a planter box outside your window. This is not always possible, however. If you cannot plant a flower garden, you can always put out a feeder.
Some people put out both flowering plants and a feeder or two.
Your local garden shop should offer several kinds of hummingbird feeders.
Their shape and style differs to fit different places where you might hang them, and the hummingbirds will not care which one you select.
It is very important to follow ALL of the instructions that come with the feeder. If it is not clean, or if the nectar is not prepared properly, you can do more harm than good. Either the birds will not feed from it, or it can actually cause illness or even death for the poor little birds.
You should wash the feeder thoroughly before the first use, and every time you bring it in for a refill. You can wash it in warm water and mild dish soap, but be sure to rinse it thoroughly, so there is no soap residue left inside it. That soap residue can cause illness or death.
Hummingbirds need sugar. It is not junk food for them. It is the staple of their diet. You should not add any dyes or food colorings, as they will not attract the birds, and they could be harmful. They prefer sucrose (table sugar) over other kinds of sugar, such as fructose or glucose. It is best to use white sugar, not brown or turbinado, and the Hummingbird Society warns NOT to use honey or artificial sweeteners because they can KILL the birds.
They also recommend NOT to use distilled water.
The recipe that the Hummingbird Society recommends is one part sugar to four parts water. You can mix it cold, but if you boil the water first, it will not go bad as fast.
However, you should take the water off of the heat before adding the sugar, so you do not make a syrup. You are trying to make the mixture as close as possible to the nectar that they get from their favorite flowers. They also say that you can keep the unused sugar water in your refrigerator for as long as a week.
Enjoy!
Watching hummingbirds is a rare pleasure in this hectic modern life.
They are also a part of legend and history.
According to Hopi and Zuni legends, the hummingbird helps humans in times of drought by convincing the gods to bring rain. The Maya believed that the hummingbird was the sun in disguise, courting his lover the moon.
The first time that European settlers saw hummingbirds, they thought they were a cross between a bird and an insect. In Mexico, soldiers and missionaries saw Aztec kings wearing cloaks made from hummingbird skins. Columbus mentioned hummingbirds in his diary, and he sent a hummingbird skin as a gif to the Pope in Rome.
Today many species of hummingbird are in danger of extinction. In fact, there is a 50 percent chance that they will be gone in ten years. They live in parts of Mexico, Central and South America, where destruction of the rain forest is a major problem for many species of plants and animals.
Although the North American hummingbirds are not on the endangered list, you can help to keep them off of that terrible list by providing flowers, feeders and birdbaths for them.
References
The Hummingbird Society, www.hummingbirdsociety.org/
Hummingbird World, http://hummingbirdworld.com/
Stokes Hummingbird Book : The Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Hummingbirds, Little, Brown and Company, September 19, 1989.
Hummingbirds - Jewels in Flight, by Connie Toops, Voyageur Press, Inc., 1992.
HUMMINGBIRDS A Wildlife Handbook, by Kim Long, Johnson Books, 1997.
~~~