This week we have been learning about the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, since we have so many of them!  The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is the only kind of hummingbird that we have in Kentucky.  So they are quite easy to identify.  And, not surprisingly, they are the smallest bird in Kentucky, not to mention the fastest. They are a tiny iridescent green bird with greyish underside.  The males have a black throat patch that reflects bright ruby red in the sun.

 They do not sing, but make a buzzing/chattering sound to communicate.  Their wings flap at least 50-60 times per second!   Their heart beats 1,260 times per minute and they breath 250 times per minute.  Makes me nervous thinking about all that!

 As you know from a previous post, I keep a feeder on my deck, and through time they have gotten quite comfortable with us sitting there and it is not uncommon to have them buzzing right past our head and around us.  And it’s a good thing I don’t have any neighbors yet, because they might find me a bit weird; because I’m in a habit of talking to them, especially the males.  I’m talking to them mostly to discipline them because they are super territorial and will guard the feeder sometimes, not letting any of the females in to drink.  I’ve threatened to get a rubber band and do target practice (ok, I’m just kidding, don’t call animal humane services on me)!  I just wish they’d realize that there’s eight ports to drink from and they can share.  But I suppose they feel it may be the last bit of nectar for them ever!

 Another interesting thing is that they have amazing memory and the same hummingbirds will return each year to your feeder.  So, I’m going to keep working on the males each year, perhaps they’ll eventually listen to me!

 In a previous blog, I posted pictures of both the female and male Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.  But I wanted to share these also because they are pretty awesome.  The following picture is cool for two reasons.  First, because if you look below the hummingbird that is feeding, you will see another hummer in flight coming in to feed.  And secondly, this picture really shows the iridescent green color on her back.

 

 

This next picture is a really recent one that we took that I thought was just so pretty.

 

The following is a great site for information on hummingbirds in general:

http://www.hummingbirds.net/rubythroated.html

 And here of course is a great information sheet:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird.html

 Oh, and this has come across my email a couple of times and you perhaps have seen it, but it is so neat.  It’s the photo journal of the birth of some baby hummingbirds.  Make sure to hit “next” down at the bottom of the screen to see all the pictures:

http://community.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM

 

Tags: Birding

This entry was posted by Melissa on Monday, July 23rd, 2007 at 11:01 pm and is filed under Birding, Nature in Summer, Nature Study. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.