Get Ready for Hummingbirds

 

What makes the world’s smallest bird such a huge pleasure for us to observe?  Is it the tiny size?  They weigh about the same as a nickel.   Or is it the way they dart about that makes them so entertaining?  After all, they can easily fly forward, backward and sideways.  They are so darn cute we all enjoy having them around. 

April marks the return of hummingbirds to the Richmond area.  After a winter in Mexico and Panama, hummingbirds make their way back to our area.  Unlike many migratory  birds, they do not migrate in flocks.   Instead, a staggered  schedule of departures continues for several weeks.  Males and females travel separately.  During the journey, hummingbirds must travel about 500 miles over water to cross the Gulf of Mexico, which they do in about 22 hours.   The migration process is completed around mid-May.  With all that time and distance to cover, no wonder they arrive so hungry!

Food Sources

Early blooming columbine is an excellent nectar source for hummingbirds arriving in early spring.  Bee Balm is another native favorite.  Hummingbirds sip nectar from tubular or bell-shaped flowers, making petunias and salvias good choices for attracting the birds.  In fact, the tiny birds visit several thousand flowers in a single day.  With no sense of smell, hummingbirds are visually attracted to red but will seek any color flower that provides nectar. People often add red food coloring to their hummingbird feeder solution but the dye is not necessary to attract the birds and some sources say it can be harmful.  A simple solution of four parts water to one part table sugar is the rule of thumb for making your own nectar.  Keeping the feeder clean is very important.  Use warm water and a soft brush rather than harsh chemicals to clean your feeder.

Nesting

         After the long migratory flight, eating is the first priority but nesting follows close behind.  As hummingbirds are solitary birds, building the nest and raising the young is the female’s job, with no involvement or support from the male.  The female chooses a safe location before gathering soft plant material, moss and lichen.  Gathering nest material takes about four hours a day, with up to 34 trips an hour.  The female then uses spider web to bind it all together. Nest building requires nearly a week. The finished nest is about the size of a quarter. 

          Hummingbirds usually lay two eggs, which hatch in about two to three weeks. The white eggs are pea-sized.  Hummingbirds feed their young nestlings a regurgitated “soup” of nectar and insects.  The chicks are ready to leave the nest in about 20 days.  What an exhausting process for one parent!

Watching Hummingbirds

Nectar feeders are a great way to enjoy watching these jeweled beauties this summer.  You must keep your feeders clean and filled to keep the birds happy.  Place several feeders in your yard to prevent a pesky male from dominating a feeder and keeping other birds away.  You can also attract them by planting hummingbird favorites such as monarda, cannas, columbine, cypress vine, petunia, salvia, hosta, and impatiens.  You should avoid using pesticides on hummingbird plants.  In the Richmond area, be on the lookout for Ruby-throated, Rufous and Allen’s Hummingbirds. 

These hungry hummers couldn't wait for me to hang a fresh feeder