Hummingbirds
All throughout the spring, summer and fall we have many hummingbirds that visit our backyard feeders. We have estimated that there are multiple families of three different bird types and upwards of over 150 birds during peak season. The hummingbirds nest in the canopy of our backyard Canyon Live Oak trees. The following are some facts about hummingbirds:
They come back home- Banding research shows they are likely to return to the area where they hatched.
They have long tongues - A hummingbird uses its tongue, which functions as a tiny pump, to suck the sought-after sweet liquid from feeders and flowers.
They travel far - Rufous hummingbirds migrate farther than any other North American species. They travel 4,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska every Spring.
Their homes are tiny - The average nest is about the size of a half-dollar coin. The eggs inside the tiny structure look like mini white jelly beans.
They are small but mighty - Hummingbirds can be very territorial and will try to protect their food sources: both flowers and feeders. They spend a lot of time chasing other birds away.
They do everything fast - While resting, the average 4-inch hummingbird takes about 150 breaths per minute.
They can fly backwards - They can hover in midair at flowers and feeders, and they’re the only birds that can fly backward. Their wings move in a figure-eight pattern, which allows them to maneuver with ease.
They can sing, too - Some species, specifically male Anna’s, are regular singers. With other species, the most common sounds are aggressive calls, which resemble chattering or squealing. You’ll hear them when several hummingbirds are gathered near a food source.
Their wings beat at incredible speed - Known for erratic movements, these agile birds beat their wings more than 50 times per second, and even faster in extreme flight mode.
They travel alone - Hummingbirds are solitary migrants, so you won’t see them traveling in flocks. Wintering grounds vary by species, but most ruby-throats spend the cold months between southern Mexico and northern Panama.
They don’t just eat nectar - You typically see hummingbirds at nectar blooms and sugar-water feeders, but they also eat tree sap and small insects when flowers are hard to find in the wild.
They build nests fast - It takes less than a week (about five to seven days) for a hummingbird to build its nest. Built by females only, nests are made of lichen, moss, and spiderwebs.
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna has an iridescent bronze-green back, a pale grey chest and belly, and green flanks. The adult male has an iridescent crimson-red derived from magenta to a reddish-pink crown and gorget, which can look dull brown or gray without direct sunlight and a dark, slightly forked tail. Females also have iridescent red gorgets, though they are usually smaller and less brilliant than the males'. Image by Larkwire.com
Calliope Hummingbird
Stellula calliope;These birds have glossy green on the back and crown with white underparts. Their bill and tail are relatively short. The adult male has wine-red streaks on the throat, green flanks and a dark tail. Females and immatures have a pinkish wash on the flanks, dark streaks on the throat and a dark tail with white tips. Calliope hummingbirds are a migratory bird, generally leaving their breeding grounds earlier than most birds to take advantage of the late-summer wildflowers in the mountains of western North America. Image by Hummingbirds Plus
Rufous Hummingbird
Selasphorus rufus; The adult male has a white breast, rufous face, flanks and tail and an iridescent orange-red throat patch or gorget. Some males have some green on back and/or crown. The female has green, white, some iridescent orange feathers in the center of the throat, and a dark tail with white tips and rufous base. Image by Kyle Cheriton