In my backyard are two bright red covered, sugar-water dishes. I am not a bird watcher and I could not tell you the difference between a Gnatcatcher and a Nuthatch, but I love watching the little hummingbirds sup from their feeders.

Their aerial combat can be compared to watching miniature dog fights between F-16s and Mig-21s. You see, hummingbirds are very territorial and do not want another hummer near their food source. So, they dive bomb their competitors and get into their airspace. Then for some reason both the vanquished and the victor fly off together.

Hummingbirds are unique to the Americas. They are known for their ability to hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings, 15-80 times per second. They can even fly backward. The most common hummingbird is the Ruby-throat, so named because of the red stripe above its breast. Ruby-throats can be seen across the North American Midwest and East beginning in the spring. During colder weather, they migrate south to Mexico and Central America, although some remain in the Gulf States.

Hummingbirds average 3 ½ inches and weight just an 1/8 of an ounce. Ruby-throats may live as long as 12 years, but the average life span is 3-5 years. Hummers can fly 30 miles per hour sustained, with bursts of 50 mph when escaping predators.

Ruby-throats are inquisitive and thus easily attracted to feeders. The feeders are bright colored and made to appear like large flowers. Each feeder will have several small holes into which the bird sticks his long beak to suck "nectar". To nourish a hummingbird, you should use a mixture of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Be sure that the sugar is completely dissolved. The sugar water should be changed every few days.

Mike Patterson has created a website that tracks the spring migration of hummingbirds based on reported sightings by watchers and backyard enthusiasts. He plots the reported first sighting dates on a U. S. map that is updated almost daily during the spring. The site also shows the migration dates for the previous 10 years. A science and answers page provide help new watchers.

Posted by Barbara.

Barbara is the editor of Quality Cat Resources and Quality Dog Resources.