Page 6 - North Haven Magazine Issue 17 Winter 2021

Jeweled Acrobats in Your Garden by Sally Brockett

Of all the species of birds, hummingbirds are among the most beloved, and most amazing. These tiny birds delight
people of all ages with their acrobatic displays and brilliant, iridescent colors. Let’s learn more about them and how
to encourage them to spend the summer in your yard and gardens.

As they gather nectar for food, they may water every couple of days, especially in hot
Where Do Hummers Live? visit as many as 1000 flowers each day. weather. Empty the feeder, wash well, and
Surprisingly, these little gems are only It takes time for flowers to produce more put in the fresh sugar water. I use the “sau-
found in the western hemisphere, with nectar once it has been taken by the bird. cer type” feeder because the tube feeders
most of their species located in Central Rather than revisiting that flower before it drip the sticky sugar water and attract more
and South America. There are more than has time to produce more nectar, these lit- ants and bees.
300 species but less than two dozen species tle birds actually remember which flower
commonly seen in North America. East of they visited and when, so they only return
the Mississippi, only the Ruby-throated is to that flower after it has time to produce
the popular resident. In recent years, due to more nectar.
climate change, you might be lucky to see
the Rufous hummer, but nearly all hum- It helps the birds if you choose feeders that
mers seen locally are the Ruby-throated. have perches for them to use while they
feed. Perches allow them to rest a bit while
Nest Construction feeding rather than spending energy to
Nest construction is fascinating and illus- hover at tube feeders that lack perches.
trates the ingenuity of these little birds. Saucer style feeder is recommended.
After mating, the mother bird chooses a
site that offers leaf or other structural cov- Feeder Location
er from the rain, and usually builds on a Feeder location is important. It should be
forked branch for foundational support. She near some shelter, a shrub or tree that pro-
spends hours a day for 5-7 days collecting vides a place to rest, and shade to help keep
bits of materials such as lichen, fluffy plant the birds cooler. Hummers are territorial
material, hair, dryer lint, and moss. She and like to have the feeders to themselves.
carefully binds this altogether with spider Ruby-throated Hummingbird – most Putting out more than one feeder really
webs because the spider silk is very strong, common hummer in CT. helps to attract more hummers. The birds
flexible, and most importantly, stretchy. She can move from one feeder to another if
shapes the bowl of the nest with her body. Attracting Hummers they are bothered by the number of birds at
As the babies grow, the spider web allows Attracting hummers to your yard should one feeder. Water is also a great attraction.
the nest to stretch larger and larger to allow start very early in the spring. They begin A dripper or mister is great for these tiny
more space for the babies. migrating into Florida as early as February, birds.
and early arrivals may be seen in Connecti-
cut by March 16th. The hummer migration Fall Migration
maps on the Internet show the birds move- During fall migration there will be birds
ment north so you can decide when to put coming from the north, so be sure to keep
out your feeders. If you zoom in on the map, your feeders full to help these hummers
you will see the individual reports and just refuel as they travel south. The little ru-
how close the birds are to our town. The by-throated hummer must fly 450 miles
early birds may be traveling further north, across the Gulf of Mexico to get to his win-
however, if you have your feeders out and ter refuge. You do not need to remove the
Female cares for the young. they stop to refuel, some may decide to stay feeders to show the birds it is time to mi-
in your area rather than continue their trav- grate. They know, better than us, when they
Family Life el. They fly low so they can see food sourc- need to start their travels, so don’t remove
Family life for hummingbirds is more sol- es. It can be helpful to have some red fabric, their much-needed food supply!
itary and independent than many other maybe ribbons, tied to your shrub, or deck
birds. The mother bird is the sole caretaker rails to help them spot your feeders. Fascinating Facts:
of the eggs and babies. Usually there are 2 Their brain is 4.2% of their body weight.
pea-sized eggs which must be kept at 96° F Making The Nectar
and incubated for 16-18 days. The feather- Making the nectar to fill your feeders is a They take 250 breaths per minute at rest.
less young must be kept warm and dry, but simple process. Just mix 1 cup of pure gran- They can dive up to 60 miles per hour, with a
wingbeat of 200 times per second.
the mother also needs to leave the nest for ulated cane sugar with 4 cups of very hot
food to feed the young and herself. It is typ- water to dissolve the sugar. DO NOT use Many die in their first year, but typical life span is
about 5 years.
ical for the mothers to make feeding rounds artificial sugars and do not add any red They migrate alone and first year birds find their way
at approximately 20-minute intervals. food color. Food color is not necessary, south without any help!
and it may be harmful to the birds. I like to They may return to your yard if they had a successful
Energy-Efficiency make a quart of the sugar water and store season the previous year.
Energy-efficiency is a priority for hum- any extra in the refrigerator to use the next
mers. They spend a lot of energy to survive time. I don’t fill my feeder completely be- So, despite the cold weather, its time to start
so they must be efficient in their lifestyle. cause it is important to change the sugar preparing for a hummer summer!

North Haven Magazine - Winter Issue 2021
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