The hum of hummingbirds a welcome sound in N. Idaho
For the past 15 years that my wife and I have lived in North Idaho we have enjoyed the wildlife of Boundary County including the migration of many birds. One of our favorite migrating bird is the hummingbird. Last May 1, we heard the welcoming humming helicopter sound of small wings by our west kitchen window. Fortunately the feeder was full and the hummingbird became busy eating the nectar. We don’t know if it was one of the same hummingbirds that had been to our property last year, but we would like to think so. Some studies and some scientist believe many hummingbirds return season after season to the same nesting and feeding area.
Many male hummingbirds depending on the species depart Central America and South America during the month of January and is followed about 10 days later by the first females. But the total hummingbird migration is spread over a three month period, which prevents a catastrophic weather event from wiping out the entire species. Consequently some birds will arrive early and the majority will arrive sometime within the next two month. In our case we had a total of 4 hummingbirds arrive in a two week period.
Humming birds are solitary migrants, so you won’t see them traveling in flocks. Wintering grounds may vary by specie, but more hummingbirds spend the cold months between southern Mexico and northern Panama. Humming birds are known for erratic movements, these agile birds beat their wings more than 50 times per second, and even faster in extreme flight mode.
Hummingbirds are the only birds with the ability to fly backward. Doesn’t sing. Will chatter or buzz to communicate. The wing beats of a hummingbird produce a whistle, almost like a tiny ringing bell.
The heart pumps an incredible 1,260 beats per minute. Weighing just 2 or 3 grams, it takes about five averaged-sized hummingbirds to equal the weight of one chickadee. The male performs a spectacular pendulum like flight over the perched female. After mating, the female builds a nest and raises young without any help from her mate. The female constructs a soft flexible nest that expands to accommodate the growing young.
Behavior
You typically see humming birds 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. 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 spider-webs.
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. With most hummingbirds the prevalent sounds are aggressive calls, which resemble chattering or squealing. You’ll hear them when several hummingbirds are gathered near a food source.
Hummingbirds usually have 1-3 eggs, which are about the size of a jelly bean and are white without markings. The nests are the size of a small cup, built by the female who hatches one brood per year. The incubation period is 12-17 days with the fledging period 18-22 days where the female feeds the young. Females build their nests 10 to 90 feet high generally in trees or shrubs. Hummingbird eggs are cradled in soft fluffy fibers that hummingbirds choose from plants nearby.
Humming birds can hover in midair at flowers and feeders. Their wings move in a figure-eight pattern, which allows them to maneuver with ease. While resting, the average 4-inch hummingbird takes about 150 breaths per minute.
Enjoy the outdoors!
For more information visit birdsandblooms/birding.com
For more articles visit www.naturallynorthidaho.com