humming birds are awsome

Sugar water friend, just really strong? He just doesn't add the red food coloring. Neither do I.

Im surprised how they are mingling like that. I have one in my back yard that's extremely territorial and dive bombs all the other ones that try to drink from "his" feeder. He's got a bright vibrant red chest, almost metallic and is super aggressive. But he sticks around all winter so he's my buddy. When it freezes we change out the frozen feeders with warm ones, and the humming birds come flocking out to feed. Awesome.

That would be a Broadtail. They are similar to Ruby Throats. :)
 
Sugar water friend, just really strong? He just doesn't add the red food coloring. Neither do I.

Im surprised how they are mingling like that. I have one in my back yard that's extremely territorial and dive bombs all the other ones that try to drink from "his" feeder. He's got a bright vibrant red chest, almost metallic and is super aggressive. But he sticks around all winter so he's my buddy. When it freezes we change out the frozen feeders with warm ones, and the humming birds come flocking out to feed. Awesome.

That is so cool. You do know that if you miss a feed, you're liable to have dead birdies. The little sweeties live right on the razor's edge of metabolic feasibility, especially when it's cold. cn
 
That is so cool. You do know that if you miss a feed, you're liable to have dead birdies. The little sweeties live right on the razor's edge of metabolic feasibility, especially when it's cold. cn

Except for one thing. They supplement their diet with sugar water or nectar. Their main food source is insects. :p
 
That is so cool. You do know that if you miss a feed, you're liable to have dead birdies. The little sweeties live right on the razor's edge of metabolic feasibility, especially when it's cold. cn

Oh I'm aware that why they get a fresh change multiple times a day. And right before bed.

I thought they would move south like Carne said but they just kept coming and I kept feeding, until I realized it was snowy outside and STILL hanging around. That when I realized I had to change the feeder frequently because they literally depend on me at that point. I felt like a daddy :)
 
There have been instances where they hang around in milder climates. We've had them here until the first big freeze. I love the little shits. :p
 
There have been instances where they hang around in milder climates. We've had them here until the first big freeze. I love the little shits. :p

Me too :)

One of my favorite things to do is sit in the back yard with a bong and a beer and just watch the hummers playin just playin in the shade!.
 
1. There are seventeen species of hummingbirds in North America.

2. Hummingbirds flap their wings 50 to 200 times per second. Generally the faster time is in courtship.

3. They can fly up, down, right, left, backwards, upside down and even loop-de-loops! Amazing!

4. They have tiny little feet that are only good for perching, scratching or preening. This means if they wish to move, even a few inches, they must fly.

5. Hummers can starve to death in about an hour. Oh Dear!

6. They eat every 10 minutes throughout the day.

7. Even though they are tiny birds, they consume up to 50% of their body weight in a day. Little pigs aren’t they? LOL!

8. Their main diet is sugar which they get from plant nectar or from kind-hearted people with feeders.

9. They also eat bugs for protein.

10. Hummingbirds have grooves on the sides of their tongues. This is to help catch insects.

11. Their tongues can take up to 13 licks a second.

12. Hummers have very good memories and will even be able to remember where they found food from the previous year.

13. Visual displays are how they communicate with each other.

14. These tiny little birds establish territories and will fight to keep others away. The males fight to keep a constant food source and the females to build a nest and feed her babies.

15. They use their bills and claws to fight but do not usually harm each other during a fight

16. Hummingbirds will sometimes attack larger birds even hawks or crows! I wonder if they win.

17. Do hummingbirds sing? Not really, but they do chirp and make deep-throated guttural sounds.

18. They are sun worshipers and love to take sunbaths. They do this by facing the sun and fluffing out their feathers.

19. They take baths by using a cupped leaf, a birdbath, puddle or even sprinklers.

20. A hummingbird’s feathers are iridescence. Actually only a third of the feather is iridescence.

21. Hummers can fly up to 25-30 mph! I think that is really fast.

22. Their wings flutter in a figure 8 motion while flying.

23. They are only found on the American continent.

24. The Bee Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world and only measure in at around 2 inches.

25. The Giant Hummingbird is the largest. Gee, that’s an original name.

26. A hummingbird called the Reddish Hermit weighs the same as a fly. That is pretty small.

27. Early Spanish explorers called them Flying Jewels. I think that fits them very well.

28. Ok get this…Hummers are the only bird that has an insect that will eat it. Praying mantis's think they are yummy!

29. Hummer’s average lifespan is 3-6years. The record is 12 years.

30. They lay two eggs that are about ½ inch long. That is tiny!

31. The eggs hatch in 13-22 days depending on the species.

32. Will hummers nest in bird houses? No.

33. They make their nests from plant fibers, plant down, moss and spider webs.

34. The nests are about the size of half a walnut shell.
35. With no feather the average hummer is about the size of a bumblebee.

36. Hummers migrate generally south for winter and north for summer.

37. Some hummingbirds migrate up to 2000 miles from their summer home in Canada to their winter home in Central America.

38. A few are only found in one or two states.

39. Why do we call them hummingbirds? They get this name from the sound their wings make when flying.

40. The iridescent feathers found at the throat of many hummers are called gorgets.
 
Here is a phone pic.
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