The Hummingbirds Are Coming Early!

The Hummingbirds Are Coming Early!


by FeyGirl




Last night at our local wetlands, I ran into a friend who mentioned
seeing a ruby-throated hummingbird in his yard a bit early! And this
morning, Michelle from Rambling Woods
posted on the topic. Since they’ve hit the Gulf Coast states a wee bit
ahead of their migratory schedule, let’s help them REFUEL on their
non-stop 500-mile journey!

I’ll be getting the feeder ready for these lovely guys ASAP habitat
loss and destruction are the hummingbirds main threats today, but
changing temperatures are also affecting their migratory patterns,
making it harder for them to find food.

Learn
more at Annenberg’s “Journey North” website track the hummingbirds,
learn how to help, and take a peek at the updated migration maps!



Sparkling violet ear hummingbird: Not in my yard, but at Butterfly
World, the largest free-flight hummingbird aviary in the US. A most
amazing, beautiful, and fairy-like place!

Fun and Fascinating Facts About Hummingbirds:

• Hummingbirds are the second largest family of birds, with more than 325 species
  
• Early Spanish explorers called hummingbirds Flying Jewels
  
• Hummingbirds are found only in North and South America
  
• Its the smallest bird and the smallest of all animals with a backbone
  
• Despite their diminutive size, hummingbirds are aggressive and territorial, regularly attacking jays, crows and hawks
  
• Hummingbirds have the largest brain of all birds 4.2% of its total body weight
  
• Many hummingbirds die during the first year, but those that do
  survive have an average lifespan of 3-4 years. The longest-living
  hummingbird was a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird that was estimated at
  12 years
  
• Hummingbirds have very weak feet they cannot walk or hop, using them mainly for perching
  
• Hummingbirds have great eyesight able to see ultraviolet light, even but have no sense of smell
  
• The structure of hummingbirds lovely iridescent feathers amplifies
  certain wavelengths of light, reflecting them directly in front of the
  bird
  
• Most of a hummingbirds weight is in its pectoral muscles 25-30% reside in their muscles responsible for flight
  
• The average flight speed of a hummingbird is 20-30 miles per hour, though the birds can reach up to 60 mph in a courtship dive
  
• They can beat their wings between 50-200 flaps per second, depending on flight patterns and wind conditions
  
• The hummingbird can rotate its wings in a circle, making it the only
  bird that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, sideways, and hover
  mid-air
  
• Their heart beats at up to 1,260 beats per minute
  
• A resting hummingbird takes an average of 250 breaths per minute
  
• Hummingbirds must consume approximately half of their weight in sugar daily,
  feeding 5-8 times per hour. Much of the sugar they consume comes from
  flower nectar and tree sap, but they also eat insects and pollen to get
  their protein
  
• A hummingbird uses its long, grooved tongue to lap up nectar from flowers and feeders
  
• To conserve energy while sleeping or during food scarcity
  hummingbirds can go into a hibernation-like state (torpor), where their
  metabolic rate is slowed to 1/15th of normal sleep. If theyre already
  weakened, they may not wake from this torpor
  
• During their spring and fall migrations, the ruby-throated
  hummingbird makes a non-stop 500-mile-flight across the Gulf of Mexico
  
• The longest migration of any hummingbird species is that of the
  rufous hummingbird they travel more than 3,000 miles from their nesting
  grounds in Alaska and Canada to winter habitats in Mexico
  
• Historically hummingbirds were killed for their feathers. But today,
  habitat loss and destruction are the hummingbirds main threats;
  changing temperatures are also affecting hummingbird migratory patterns,
  making it harder for them to find food
  
• An increase in backyard gardens hummingbird feeders allows these birds to refuel during their long migratory journeys YAY!
  

Thanks to: http://2012spiritinaction.wordpress.com

Ohhhhh what a pretty little bird!!

We have 'Hummingbirds' down here in Florida, but they are VERY tiny, about an inch or two long- We had the big ones up North- They make a low 'droning' sound- They are Ruby Thoated hummingbirds- Don't wear ared hat- They will aim at you, up, down, sideways, etc- I have had them about 1 inch from my face before, and their beaks are about two and a half inches long-I changed my hat real quick-

Oh they sound so cute!!! Why do they get in your face terbs? What are they after?

NanneeRose- IF you are wearing a red cap, or hat, they are attracted to it- The liquid they drink out of the hummingbird feeders is red if you remember correctly- That's what draws them, the 'red' color- A 'hanging gas station',if you will- :) :cheers:

Ohhh wow that's so cool! I've seen those little birds on the tele but I don't think we have them out here? Well I've never seen them anyway.

I have a group that comes to me every spring and stays until fall. I don't even use the red dye. I just have a sugar water I use in my hummingbird feeder but that is red. They follow me around the yard sometime. I have a video of one of the little fellows. Super cute. I hung the feeder right in front of my window so we can watch them better. I can't wait to see them again. Glad I am not having to move so I can. Yeah!!!

Were you going to move? Those little birds sound like little happy spirits there to keep you surrounded by joy!!