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Hummingbirds

Why Hummingbirds Use Spider Webbing

The construction of the nest is vital to the female hummingbird. That is why the choice of nesting materials is extremely important. While the nest is constructed of many materials, have you ever wondered why female hummingbirds will use spiders webbing in the construction of the nest? This post will provide you with the answer to this question.

Hummingbirds use spider webs as glue to attach the nest to a tree branch as well as a binding agent for the building materials.

A silk of a spider’s web is incredibly strong. It has been compared to being as strong as steel on a weight basis.

A hummingbird’s nest are made of lichens, moss and fragments of bark, bound together with strands of spider web and lined with soft downy plant material like cottonwood fluff. The female hummingbird includes spiders webbing in the construction of the nest to try and ensure the strength of the nest itself as well as the safety of her young.

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Hummingbirds

A Few More Facts on the Ruby-throated Hummingbird

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a Neotropical migrant and it is known to have one of the highest nesting success rates when compared to other Neotropical migrants.

Even though Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have one of the highest nesting success rates, only about 20% of these fledglings will survive their first year.

A Ruby-throated Hummingbird will usually have two broods, with each taking 45 days from nest construction to fledgling.

This species of hummingbird will nearly double their weight (from about 3.25 grams to 6 grams) before crossing the Gulf of Mexico. A single migration can become a nonstop flight of up to 500 miles over a period of 18 to 22 hours.

This species of hummingbird was hunted during the nineteenth century for its beautiful plumage, but the Ruby-throated Hummingbird now enjoys protection from harvest through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This act declares unlawful the taking, killing, or possessing of migratory birds. It is also listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna of 1975.

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Hummingbird Food Hummingbird Videos

How to Make a Hummingbird Feeder

I must apologize for the title of this video, as it does not reflect what the video is truly about, but it is the title given to the video by the maker of the video. That is why I kept the title rather then changing it.

In this video you will be amazed by some interesting facts about hummingbirds as well as discovering how to properly make homemade nectar solution.

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Hummingbirds

Fun Facts About the Humminbird’s Tongue

The hummingbird’s tongue is quite long. Just how long may surprise you. This post will tell you that and more about a hummingbird’s tongue.

A hummingbird uses its tongue to lick up nectar. One source stated that a hummingbird’s tongue can be thought of as being a straw with a slot cut in it. The hummingbird licks up nectar at the rapid rate of approximately 13 licks per second.The tongue of the hummingbird is actually quite long at roughly twice the length of the bird’s bill or 3/4 of an inch long. Female hummingbirds’ tongues are longer then the males.

The hummingbird’s tongue is vital to its survival. It is my hope that this post as given you some more information about the hummingbird’s tongue.

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Hummingbird Feeders Hummingbird Food

How Much Time Does a Hummingbird Feed at a Feeder?

Hummingbird feeders are a great way to entice a hummingbird to your yard. Have you ever wondered how much time a hummingbird actually spends feeding at a hummingbird feeder versus other food sources? This post will provide you with the surprising answer.

Many studies would indicate that birds which have easy access to feeders only use the feeders to supply 20% of their daily rations of food. Birds are known to instinctively forage for food by visiting a wide variety of locations during the day and they will never become dependent on one particular source of food. So do not worry if your feeders should become empty or should need to be removed for any reason because the birds will find an alternate food source.

In fact, hummingbirds prefer natural nectar sources over artificial ones when the natural nectar supply is abundant. When it comes to selecting a food source, what is most important is the quantity and quality of the nectar which is available. Whenever choosing a flower, the hummingbird will select the flower with the highest nectar output and the richest concentration of sugars, regardless of the shape or color of the flower. Also, more important than the color of the flower is how the nectar taste.

Once the natural nectar supply is available in less abundance, the hummingbirds will once again return to your feeders for their food supply. The birds are appreciative of it and you will begin to see them appear with greater regularity as the natural nectar supply becomes less plentiful. Do not stop putting out hummingbird feeders just because it does not seem that the birds are visiting it very often. Eventually, the birds will be looking for it as a food source and its availability could help the hummingbirds very survival by helping prevent the birds from starving to death, which can happen in as little as two hours.