One thing that surprised me about hummingbirds is that they migrate. After hatching, baby hummingbirds will stay in the nest for approximately three weeks. The male hummingbird is not involved in raising young, and will often find another mate after the young are hatched. Interestingly, only female hummingbirds build nests and will lay only two eggs. So please make sure to check branches before you do your spring cleaning in your yard. And they love to make their homes in gardens because they are secluded and quiet. For reference, a Ruby-throated hummingbird’s egg is about the size of a pea and its nest is roughly the size of half a walnut shell. It would be logical that if hummingbirds are the smallest birds, they would also have the tiniest eggs of any bird. The bee hummingbird of Cuba weighs only 1.95 grams or about as much as a ¼ teaspoon of sugar! Hummingbirds are the smallest of all bird species. So, hummingbirds are great to have in your backyard! 3. In addition to nectar from flowers and feeders, these birds eat small insects, beetles, ants, aphids, gnats, mosquitoes, and wasp. They consume about half their body weight in bugs and nectar, feeding every 10-15 minutes and visiting 1,000-2,000 flowers throughout the day. Hummingbirds have a very high metabolism and must eat all day long just to survive. A few species remain year-round in the U.S. About five percent of hummingbird species live primarily north of Mexico, and only about two dozen species visit the U.S. Surprisingly, hummingbirds are only found in the Western Hemisphere, with almost half the species living around the equator.

I had no idea, since I was only familiar with one species, as I’m sure you are as well, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. I once saw a National Geographic television special on hummingbirds that said that there are over 330 species of hummingbirds! I was shocked. I bet you know a few of these, but others may surprise you. Some of these qualities are physical features, others are quirky behaviors. Hummingbirds are interesting creatures and have many unique qualities.

I especially like when they perch on the feeder with their tiny feet while taking a long, seemingly relaxing drink of the sweet sugar and water mixture that they love so much and which provides their sustenance. They dart back and forth and up and down - alternating between eating and hovering in place to take a break from their repast. It’s always exciting when you hear the hummingbirds’ distinct sound as they come closer to the feeder…sort of like a bumblebee who’s had too much coffee. Even today, every summer, we put a feeder up just outside our screened-in porch and watch for the hummingbirds to come and eat. I’ve always been in awe of these tiny creatures ever since I was a child and we began hanging a hummingbird feeder at our family’s cabin in the Adirondacks. One of my favorite things about spring and summer is seeing the hummingbirds ( Trochilidae) zoom around the flowers and my hummingbird feeders. Genier - Adirondack Council Program Analyst The 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Actġ0 Facts About Hummingbirds – And other interesting tidbitsīy: Lisa M.Adirondack & Environmental Activities for Kids.Micro-Grants for Adirondack Working Lands ».

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