Hummingbird Encounters

Hummingbirds are one of those critters that most people agree are almost too cute. They are tiny, fragile, beautiful, and so fun to watch. There are few better animal entertainments than to put up a hummingbird feeder and watch the little guys come to suck up the sweet sugar water.

The hummer has an extraordinarily long bill, from which an even amazingly longer tongue will protrude to get at nectar deep within flowers (or fake flowers on a feeder). Although they feed a lot on nectar, they also go for tiny insects, thus getting necessary protein in their diet. In fact, some hummers will steal insects from spider webs, rather than catch their own. They also like to steal weeping sap from the holes that sapsuckers drill in tree trunks.

Even though they are the tiniest birds in the world (weighing only a fraction of an ounce), they are very aggressive little dudes. They are largely solitary. The male will take up residence near a feeder and fend off any other bird that may wander nearby... except a female hummer, whom he will allow to sip some sugar water in exchange for mating with her. The female does the kid raising on her own and is even more aggressive than the male. She will attack hawks,snakes, and crows... and even buzz humans who wander near her nest.

A hummingbird's wings beat at about 70 times per second, creating a low “hum” that attracts one's attention, much like a large insect. They have a unique motion to their wings, that allows them to hover, fly backwards, and even upside down, if they are diving into a flower for its nectar or the male showing off to his potential lover.

The ruby-throated hummer is the only species we have here in the eastern US. The male's throat appears a very dark black color, except when it faces you. Then its throat appears a brilliant ruby red color, flashing like a beacon. The hummer's feathers are not really ruby colored, but appear to be, because tiny air sacs in the feathers refract that color from sunlight.

Besides the fun of watching them at the feeder, I had a special encounter a few years ago, as I was watering flowers; one of those graced moments. I was watering the peonies—the hose pointed upward, spraying the flowers. I love to pay rapt attention to the flowers when I water them—soaking up their beauty as they soak up the life-giving water.

I noticed a hummingbird slip into my field of view and land on one of the wire cages that I place around the peonies. He was about five feet from me and only a foot or so from the stream of water from the hose. I was rather taken by his boldness, as hummingbirds are one of the more timid critters around here. I've never gotten that close to one before.

He sat there, looking towards me, with no apparent jumpiness. He seemed to be eying the stream of water, so I very slowly turned and moved the spray towards him. When the first few drops of water hit him, he opened his wings and fluttered his feathers, seeming to revel in the mist. I got the cue, and began spraying him more directly. He danced around on his perch, flapping and fluttering, getting a good bath, until I moved the hose away again. Then he took flight and was gone. I stood there, shaking my head; wondering if I had really experienced what I seemed to have. What a gift!