Hummingbirds

Newly discovered species has shortest life span of any four-legged animal Labord's Chameleon (Furcifer labordi), a lizard found only on the island of Madagascar, is the first reptile species known to have an annual lifecycle Insects have very short lifespans too, Adult mayflies, depending on the species, have life spans ranging from half an hour to a whole day! 'Related' and 'Also see' links below give more details on the Chameleon and Mayfly.

DEFINITELY! In New Milford, CT, we have them all day long - starting in late May and so far, through August! I have mostly Ruby Throated, but have seen the rare Roufus (for CT) from time to time. I have had a lot of success with only 2 feeders hanging outside my window under an overhang, with lots of nectar bearing hanging flower baskets around (mostly Petunia) and some butterfly bushes, pink honeysuckle & even blazing stars planted below/ around the yard. These guys start as soon as the sun starts coming up (around 5am) and are here all day long until the sun starts going down (between 8:30-9pm) Be aware that your best chances are to hang feeders at various locations throughout the yard - males can be notoriously PROTECTIVE of a feeder location! I had 1 male that would guard the feeders the entire day - perched right above w/ a 'bird's eye view' of all feeders . . . and would dive bomb (my frequent female & juveniles) & chase them off for most of the month of July) - but they're back now & it's already into August. Thought they were gone/ possibly migrated already, but was delighted to see them at the feeder a few days ago. MAKE SURE to KEEP THE FEEDERS CLEAN! Hummingbirds will not bother with a dirty feeder or one that's been sitting in the sun too long/ nectar getting rancid. Make sure to clean at least 1x a week in our awfully humid weather - use a little dish soap & warm-hot water, brush them out good & RINSE them well before replacing with fresh nectar (ONLY use the commercial instant powder/liquid) or if you make yourself ONLY USE SUGAR! (Dissolve in boiling water/ cool in fridge overnight) Other sweetners (incl. honey) are bad bad bad - even red food dye has been reported to supposedly give cancer to the tiniest bird in the world! Also, they tend to have quite the memory once they get used to using the feeders, so make sure to put them out next year in the same place. I have had them literally wait while I cleaned/ replaced nectar & were there the second I hung them back up! Too funny! I am very lucky that my birds have gotten quite used to me & my dogs - and have even had the opportunity to stand right next to them (wearing my bright red, pink or orange t-shirt) - have some fantastic pics too! Good luck & keep vigilant with your feeders - you'll be attracting them soon enough!

Hummingbirds are named for the humming sound created by their rapid wing beats, which can range from 50 to over 200 beats per second. This sound is typically heard during flight and is particularly prominent when hummingbirds hover in place while feeding on nectar.

When I first put my food out in early spring (when it's still freezing at night, before my first sighting), I change it out once a week. After I see my first bird, I change it every 4 days or so until summer. Once it's hot out, though, as my feeder hangs from under the roof of the porch and get quite heated, I change it every 3 days - any longer and the food will start to sour. Also, it's important to thoroughly clean the feeder with hot water, and mild soap (be sure to rinse well). I use organic sugar (evaporated cane juice). I typically have more activity at my feeder than my neighbors, even without any flowers or garden to speak of, and with the feeder right there on the porch. I'm not sure if they like the organic sugar better or not - it's just what I use - but I know I change the food more often than my neighbors, so I suspect that is the real reason - yummy food!

A hummingbird's pulse rate is incredibly fast, ranging from 250 to 1200 beats per minute depending on the species and the activity level of the bird. This rapid heart rate is essential for sustaining their high metabolism and constant activity.

Per the Bird Nerder2 , if they make it through their first year of life, they can live three to eight years, averaging 5 years. Other variables include types of Hummingbird, living conditions, availability of food among others.

There is record of one living 12+ years. It was banded as an adult and recaptured 12 years later.

The Bird Nerder2 found the following on longevity records for the hummingbirds1 -this would be the longest observation of a hummingbird's life recorded by a scientist.

Magnificent Hummingbird 9 years 02 months

Bluey-throated Hummingbird 7 years 11 months

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 9 years 01 months

Black-chinned Hummingbird 10 years 01 months

Costa's Hummingbird 9 years 02 months

Anna's Hummingbird 8 years 02 months

Broad-tailed Hummingbird 12 years 02 months

Rufous Hummingbird 8 years 11 months

Allen's Hummingbird 4 years 00 months

Calliope Hummingbird 6 years 01 months

Lucifer Hummingbird 4 years 01 months

Buff-bellied Hummingbird 8 years 06 months

Broad-billed Hummingbird 6 years 01 months

1. http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/homepage/long3930.htm

2. http://nerdbirder.com/wordpress/2009/04/17/how-long-do-hummingbirds-live/

logradic

?

Family: Trochillidae

Hummingbirds weigh from about 2 to 20 grams, depending on their species. There are more than 300 species of hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds do not have a traditional gestation period like other animals. The female lays eggs (usually 2) which she incubates for about 14-19 days. After hatching, the young hummingbirds will remain in the nest for about 3 weeks before fledging.

Yes, they do. If you will build a long dowell perch near the feeder, a hummingbird will perch for as much as 15 minutes at a time. I've been able to get some very good pictures of my birds because I have a perch near each feeder.

Hummingbird eggs are white, and are about the size of a regular jelly bean (not a Jelly Belly). The eggs of the smallest hummingbird, the bee hummingbird, are only 1 centimeter ( less than 1/2 inch) long.

This year seems to be an off year for the Rufus and Ruby Throated hummingbirds.

We usually have upwards of 20 of the busy little creatures here north of Lake Ontario but only two have arrived so far. I will dig up more information for you ASAP. May 17, 2008

The numbers of Rufus hummingbirds are declining, which has caused the National Audubon Society to place them on a list of "common birds in decline." Biologists are now scrambling to find out why the high-octane birds are disappearing.

Rufus numbers have been falling for 10 years. We cannot prove it is habitat loss, the birds winter in the highlands of Mexico, but fewer and fewer hummingbirds make it to nesting grounds for the past few years. People are clearing land in Mexico to get grass for cattle. People in California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia are clearing land to put houses on, this has an effect on the migration of these birds. After flying 300 to 500 miles, a Rufus hummingbird needs to eat to survive. If it cannot find food, it will die.

Hummingbirds play a crucial role in pollinating flowers and plants, contributing to the biodiversity of ecosystems. Additionally, they are important indicators of environmental health. By saving the hummingbird, we help maintain a balanced ecosystem and protect biodiversity.

No hummingbirds do not go in groups because they have to go on their own so they can learn things that hummingbirds ususally do and live up until 3,4, or 5 years it depends on the type of hummingbird.

All hummingbirds eat nectar from flowering plants; they need the high energy food to power their extremely fast metabolism. In addition, they eat small bugs for the protein content they provide. Calories obtained from nectar and sugar-water from hummingbird feeders is used to power the hummingbirds. If you are going to set up a hummingbird feeder, do not use sugar water with dye as the dye is bad for the birds and the sugar water is nutritionally incomplete, like food without vitamins, minerals, or amino acids. By the same token, do not use dehydrated beverage mixtures, like Kool-aid, either. Do buy the hummingbird mixture from the store. Even though it may go bad sooner, it is much healthier for the birds. But not only do they eat nectar the eat small insects and Spiders. But hummers need more than just sugar to survive. They also need protein. That's why they eat small bugs inside flowers, and sometimes pick bugs out of spider webs for food. In early spring, before the flowers bloom, hummers will follow Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. These woodpeckers peck holes in trees to get sap. The hummer can lick the sap and eat the bugs around these holes!
Nectar from certain flowers and sugar water from well-intentioned humans..

Hummingbirds enter a state of torpor during sleep, lowering their metabolic rate to conserve energy. They perch on a branch or twig during the night, tucking their head under their wing and closing their eyes. This helps them rest and recharge for the next day of feeding and flying.

Yes you definitely can but the traffic will be less. Apparently most hummingbirds prefer a lower level near ground. Some hummingbirds do go up to a height of 12 to 18 feet. I have seen hummingbirds hovering at 2nd floor decks but in that case there were a lot of flower bearing plants on the deck.

The incubation period for hummingbird eggs is typically around 14-15 days. After hatching, the nestlings are usually fed by the female hummingbird for another 18-22 days before they fledge and leave the nest.

The Ecuadorian hillstar, the world's highest altitude hummingbird, copes with low air density by perching instead of hovering when it feeds. At the season-less Equator, food is available year-round, supporting an incredible diversity of plants and animals. On the lower slopes of the volcanoes, tiny tropical hummingbirds have a sugar-fuelled lifestyle, feeding on bromeliad nectar in lush, wet low paramo and cloud fore

While the sounds of hummingbirds are not exactly considered music, they definitely have a language all of their own. It would be more appropriate to call them chirps then it would be to call it music. However, by listening and learning what the hummingbirds are saying, you can tell what they are doing without looking directly at them.

Hummingbirds drink nectar from flowers using their long, specialized bills and extendable, tube-like tongues. They hover near the flower and use their fast wing beats to stay in one spot while they feed. Hummingbirds also eat insects and spiders for protein and nutrients.

1. Green Violet-ear, Colibri thalassinus
2. Green-breasted Mango, Anthracothorax prevostii-
3. Black-throated Mango, Anthracothorax nigricollis
4. Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Orthorhyncus cristatus
5. Cuban Emerald, Chlorostilbon ricordii -
6. Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris-
7. Xantus's Hummingbird, Hylocharis xantusii(Rare or Accidental) -
8. White-eared Hummingbird, Hylocharis leucotis-
9. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Amazilia tzacatl
10. Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Amazilia yucatanensis
11. Cinnamon Hummingbird, Amazilia rutila
12. Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Amazilia violiceps
13. Berylline Hummingbird, Saucerottia beryllina
14. Blue-throated Hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae
15. Magnificent (Rivoli's) Hummingbird, Heliodoxa fulgens -
16. Plain-capped Starthroat, Heliomaster constantii
17. Bahama Woodstar, Calliphlox evelynae (Rare or Accidental)
18. Lucifer Hummingbird, Calothorax lucifer
19. Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris
20. Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri
21. Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna
22. Costa's Hummingbird, Calypte costae
23. Bumblebee Hummingbird, Atthis heloisa (Rare or Accidental)
24. Calliope Hummingbird, Stellula calliope
25. Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus--PHOTOS
26. Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus
27. Allen's Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin(Endemic)

Hummingbirds are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, savannas, meadows, and gardens. They are most commonly found in the Americas, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Hummingbirds prefer areas with abundant flowers for nectar, insects for protein, and water sources for bathing and drinking.

Human civilization and its expansion remains the biggest threat against nature and all wildlife with the destruction of habitat and its primary role in climate change. Housecats are also a primary killer of birds in general.

The hummingbird has around 80 chromosomes. Hummingbirds need large amount of energy because they flap their wings between 60 and 70 times a minute.