Nature’s Most Unique Bird
Nature’s Most Unique Bird
One of my favorite things to do during the warmer months is to sit on my patio and watch the hummingbirds flock to my feeder. I can easily lose track of time as I gaze at them and their acrobatic maneuvers through the air. There are more than 330 species in the world making them the second largest family of birds on the earth after flycatchers. Standing at 3.0 – 5.0 inches in length they are one of the most unique of all of God’s creation. They are also easy to care for in that it does not require a lot of work for the observer.
Each spring I wait in expectation for their arrival. I prepare my feeders with sugar mixed with water, no artificial flavors or colors that would harm them, and watch them come to drink the sugar wells dry. They are faithful to find me. Typically, I will set out my feeders somewhere between March 31 and April 15. A couple of years ago I had taken the feeders outside, hung them on my Shepherds rod and told my son to watch and see if any would appear. Sure enough, within an hour two came for their first taste of the season.
Contrary to popular belief, hummingbirds do not send out scouts to find food or nesting sites. Each bird operates individually. They do not form the type of complex social structure that requires scouts. However, many ardent hummingbird watchers would argue otherwise. I will let the experts’ figure that one out in time! Hummingbirds have no sense of smell, but a highly developed sense of sight and memory that enables them to remember their feeding areas. Hummingbirds can remember every flower they’ve been to, and how long it will take a flower to refill. Wow!
Though the smallest bird in the world, they can flap their wings up to 80 times per second. As I stare at them in amazement, I wish I had that much energy. While we humans are advised not to consume sugar, hummingbirds obviously thrive off the sweet treat, and consume half of their weight in sugar on a daily basis. Their iridescent feathers appear to change color with the angle of light causing photographers confusion while snapping photos of the same bird.
In a given year these tiny birds migrate twice and can travel up to 600 miles per day feeding on the nectar of flowers and also insects. They do not follow a set path for migration, instead they rely on the natural cues found in their environment to make their way. They will fiercely defend their territory as they spar with other birds in the air. Their reliance on their small size and agility allows them to quickly escape any threat they may encounter, and propels them to fly left, right, down, up, backwards and even upside down. They are like a skilled pilot flying a mini jet. It might be challenging for some of the famous sky-raiders of past wars to compete with these tiny little pilots.
My most memorable hummingbird experience was the day that one decided to perch on my hand. Of course, my phone was not in my reach. I wasn’t about to move as I was afraid my friend would fly away so I simply cherished the moment. If you do not have a hummingbird feeder, consider purchasing one. I guarantee that you will not regret it.
Footnotes - Birdsidea.com, National Geographic, WorldAtlas.com, Audubon, All About Birds