Month: June 2010

Categories
Hummingbirds

Central Oklahoma’s Shorter Hummingbird Season

While the state of Oklahoma has plenty of hummingbird species that are found there, if you live in central Oklahoma, apparently you will have a lot less opportunity to see the hummingbirds, because in that part of the state the hummingbirds may not be seen until late July and then the birds leave the area by mid September. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find an explanation for this within my extensive research. If anyone out there is able to explain this, please comment on this post and let me and all the readers of this blog know the explanation. Thank you so very much.

In fact, there have been seven different species of hummingbirds documented in Oklahoma. The list includes the following species: Black-chinned Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird and the Green Violet-eared Hummingbird.

In other areas of the state other then central Oklahoma, the male hummingbirds will begin arriving in Oklahoma about mid-March and the females begin arriving in early April. The hummingbirds will leave the area around mid-October, but rarely may you have the opportunity to see a hummingbird that will choose to winter over in Oklahoma.

Categories
Hummingbird Food

Reminders About Hummingbird Food

There is an ongoing debate about the use of red dye in hummingbird food. I do not know if there will ever be a final resolution to this debate, but I do know what I believe on this issue and I want to give you some things to think about concerning this issue.

The use of red dye is absolutely unnecessary to attract hummingbirds. In fact, informal experiments using side by side feeders, one with red syrup and one with plain, would indicate that the birds do not like the taste of red dye.

If you are worried that the hummingbirds will not find or drink from your feeders unless it contains red dye, keep the following things in mind. Most feeders on the market today have some red on them and you can tie a red ribbon onto the feeder to attract the birds to the feeder. Given time, the birds will eventually find your feeder regardless if your nectar solution contains red dye or not.

Here is an important fact to remember. Natural flower nectar is clear, not red. Hummingbirds don’t look at nectar anyway. What I mean by this is that the birds are looking for flowers of the right shape and color as well as the quality and quantity of the nectar source which us available.

It is important to remember that the make up of all flower nectar is sugar and water. Yes, plants do have trace amounts of electrolytes or chemicals found in them, but there is no proof that hummingbirds use or need them for good health. In my opinion, none of the hummingbird food mixes seem to make an attempt to duplicate flower nectar accurately.

Please take the time to consider what I have said on this issue and make your own informed opinion on the matter. My goal in writing this post is not to force you to agree with my own opinion, but to get you thinking about the matter so you can make your own informed decision on the matter.

Categories
Dear Mom Hummingbird Videos

Hummingbird Nest Building

Many people will never see a hummingbird nest, so I thought you would enjoy getting to see the mother hummingbird constructing the nest.

If you want to try and spot a hummingbird nest on your own, here’s what to look for. In general, hummingbirds mate and nest during the times of year when flower blossoms are abundant. In tropical areas, where food is available year round, the breeding season is less predictable.

It is also important when trying to find a hummingbird nest to look near a water source. Humidity is important to ensure the development of the embryo inside the egg.

This video makes me think of my mom, because I know that she would have enjoyed seeing it. To my knowledge, mom never had the good fortune to see a hummingbird nest in person.

Categories
Hummingbird Feeders Hummingbird Food

Various Food Sources Will Attract Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds love to eat and must do so quite frequently in order to ensure their very survival. A hummingbird will feed about every 10 minutes with each feeding only lasting 30-60 seconds. Food is not only vital to the hummingbird’s very survival, but it as also a great way to attract the hummingbirds to feed in your yard. This post will examine the three methods of how to provide food for the birds.

Plants are the first method by which you can provide food for hummingbirds. A great thing to do is to plant on nectar-rich flowers on which the hummingbirds can feed. Yes, red is a color which is known to attract hummingbirds, but what is far more important is that the flowers you plant produce plenty of nectar. Some plants which are known to do this include the flowing: Bleeding hearts, impatiens, petunias, salvias, bee balm, columbine, cannas, and many others. If you want to attract the hummingbirds without the use of flowers then you can do so with the use of red or purple gazing balls which will also attract hummingbirds as well.

The use of nectar feeders is probably the most common way people use to try and attract hummingbirds to your yard. There are a wide range of feeder styles is available on the market today, including inverted tubes and saucer dishes. These feeders may come with wasp, hornet and ant guards, and they are often colored red to help attract hummingbirds. You may buy commercial nectar solution or make your own. I would recommend making your own because it is easy to do and far less expensive then the mix you buy. Also, the mix you buy may have red dye in it and this can be harmful to the hummingbirds.

Insects are also known to be an important part of the hummingbird’s diet because it provides a valuable source of protein to the bird. They also eat a large quantity of insects, including spiders. In order to draw the hummingbirds to backyard insects, you should avoid using pesticides or insecticides that will kill off this food source and choose flowering plants that are also attractive to insects.

Categories
Hummingbirds

The Reddish Hermit

The Reddish Hermit is a species of bird in the hummingbird family. The Reddish Hermit is one of the smallest hermit hummingbirds, at only 7.5 cm in length and it weighs about as much as a fly. This hummingbird’s habitats are primarily humid nature and include forest and woodlands. The Reddish Hermit is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and the Guyana’s.