Hummingbirds are only found in the Americas, and the only hummingbird native to our area is the ruby-throated hummingbird. It weighs in at only 0.1-0.2 oz. and has legs so short it cannot walk, only shuffle. So how are they magical? They can fly up, down, forward, and backward. They can hover in one spot and stop on a dime. Their wings flap about 53 times per second creating a distinctive hum. Their heart rate is roughly 1200 beats per minute but can then drop to 50 beats per minute during periods of extreme rest known as torpor. Hummingbirds make their nests out of lichens and spiderwebs, and the nests are so small and well-camouflaged that they are almost impossible to find.
Hummingbirds will take on a jay or a hawk that they feel is threatening them or their chicks. They are almost comical in their battles for a perch at a hummingbird feeder. According to the National Park Service, if the average man had the metabolism of a hummingbird, he would have to eat 285 pounds of meat every day. When they migrate to Central America in the early fall, they fly across the Gulf of Mexico without stopping, then do the return trip to our area in the spring. The males with their distinctive red throats will arrive first to establish their territories before the females return. Our hummingbirds are not endangered or threatened, which is a good thing.
If the average man had the metabolism of a hummingbird, he would have to eat 285 pounds of meat every day.
Important Pollinators Of Flowers
How else are they magical? Ruby-throated hummingbirds are important pollinators as they travel from flower-to-flower drinking nectar. They also help control the insect population as they consume insects while drinking nectar or catching insects while flying.
How Do You Attract Hummingbirds
So, what can you do? If you would like to attract hummingbirds to your yard, plant brightly colored tubular flowers such as Mandevilla, bee balm or cardinal flowers in your garden. If you want to set up a feeder, use a sugar solution. You can make your own by boiling 4 parts water with 1 part sugar (NOTHING but sugar, no honey, stevia, or artificial sweetener) until the sugar fully dissolves, and then allowing it to cool. The extra solution can be refrigerated in an air-tight container. Check the feeder regularly and replace the solution if mold develops. Make sure to clean the feeder every time you refill the solution to prevent mold growth. If you buy a commercial hummingbird solution, make sure it is only sugar and water and does not have any red coloring or other chemicals in it, which are not good or necessary for the birds. While hummingbirds are magical, chemicals can undo that magic.
In September, the birds will seemingly disappear overnight as they leave for their winter grounds, but if you keep your feeder up a little longer you may see an occasional bird that is coming down from southern Canada or northern New England, extending the magic a bit longer.
