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The Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Amazing is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird!! He'll gorge prior to embarking on an 18 hour (weather permitting) flight over the gulf of Mexico. Prior to this migration, the bird will have plumped up substantially, tipping the scales at .2 ounces, nearly double their normal body weight. If I did what he does, I would weigh in at a scary 400 pounds!!The first wave of Hummers arriving on the shores of America will be primarily male. They’re followed in about ten days by a contingent of females. From late February to the first week of May—wave after wave of Hummers will break upon the gulf state shores. Ornithologists believe this staggered migration mitigates the impact a major storm might have on the population. Such enormous wisdom is so small a brain (the size of a bee-bee)! Once in America, the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds fan out spreading across the entire Eastern United States (in the US, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird does not reside west of the Rocky Mountains; however, in Canada the bird has been spotted as far west as the Alberta Province).
Once the birds arrive at their territory—often the same territory they camped out at the previous season—attitudes change. Defense of a territory becomes the call, and disputes erupt often.
Did you know a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird's territory can range from as small as 22 square yards to as large as an acre? Territory
Two major factors contribute to the selection of a territory:
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds love insects!! The females are particularly fond of them, probably because of the protein needed for egg preparation. She will visit the male’s territory repeatedly to get at the insects. When this happens, the male may defend the territory with an intense ferocity. Once established in a territory, the male will vocalize this fact each morning with an intense chattering. Other intruding males are “dive bombed,” with the two birds missing one another by mere inches. If these warnings go unheeded, a physical assault may ensue, with the defender driving the intruder to the ground. There are documented accounts of defending Ruby-throated Hummingbirds grasping the wing tips of intruders and attempting to extract the feathers. If he is unable to drive off the intruder, there is a changing of the guard, so-to-speak, and the intruding male becomes the “king of the hill.” It’s natural folks; only the best genes are passed on. This ensures the survival of the species. NestingAh, what a wonder to migrate hundreds and hundreds of miles, then locate, assess and sometimes rebuild the same nest constructed the previous year! Why would the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird choose to do so?It cuts the period of nest construction in half-- 8 days reduced to 4 days. However, the ravishes of weather typically prevent the refurbishing of a used nest. Thus, construction of a new nest is necessary. The tree of choice is often a Hickory, Pine or Oak. Using spiders’ webs, tree sap and lichen, the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird constructs a remarkable nest, camouflaged and located on a limb-tip, about 1.5 inches tall and conforming to her specific body. When the nest is completed, the female Ruby Throat will lay and incubate several pea-sized eggs (about 1/2 inches long) for fourteen days. Newly born Roby-throated Hummingbird chicks are about the size of a honey bee and weigh 1/50 of an ounce. The parent will feed them a diet of nectar and partially digested insects. Remarkable growth is the inevitable result of this protein-rich diet.
By day 12, the chick will weigh the same as the female parent!! Contrastingly, studies indicate that the weight of the female parent will decrease by an average 17 percent!! After completely fledging, the female will continue to feed the chicks periodically for about two additional weeks. After that, the Hummers become completely independent. Feeding
What has 8 legs and is as appealing to a Hummer as nectar (HINT: Think “itsy bitsy”). You got it! Spiders. Hummer love ‘em (and other insects, too). Nesting activities, particularly the formation of eggs, require protein—and lots of it!! Because of this, the female Ruby Throat devours a ton of insects during the nesting season. However, because these Hummers are high-energy, high-speed birds, nectar remains an essential food source (a Hummer eats half its weight in sugar each day), so put out your feeders and keep them full!
Click here for a review of the various
hummingbird feeders.
Directions for making safe hummingbird food:
Plants That Attract The Ruby-throated Hummingbird
FLOWERING PLANTS
TREES
SHRUBS
VINESI hope you found this article about the Ruby-throated Hummingbird useful. Click here for more great information about bird feeders and bird houses.
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Though known to fiercely defend territories, there will be little fighting among male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at a nectar feeder during the migration, as the genetic urge is simply to move northward to known territories, rather than defend prime mating and feeding grounds. Put out your feeders as the birds will visit the station to “refuel.”
