Author: Hummingbird

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Hummingbird Food

Nectar As An Energy Source for Hummingbirds

The sugar found in nectar solution is a great source of energy for the hummingbird, which has a 97 percent rate of efficiency for converting it into energy. Astonishingly, the hummingbird will completely digest natural sucrose (sugar) in only 20 minutes.

If you have ever wondered about the energy needs of the hummingbird, it may shock you to discover that the hummingbird will require one and a half times its body weight in nectar to meet its daily energy needs. The amount of nectar that a hummingbird will require varies from day to day and can be affected by a wide range factors including activity level, air temperature, quality of available resources, and time of year.

The quantity and quality of the nectar which is available is extremely important to a hummingbird. This is why 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. The taste of the nectar is also far more important then the specific color of the flower.

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Dear Mom Hummingbirds

What Is the Longest Hummingbird Migration?

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The Rufous Hummingbird has the longest migration of any hummingbird species with a distance of more than 3,000 miles from the bird’s nesting grounds in Alaska and Canada to its winter habitat in Mexico.

This is a fact about hummingbirds that my mom would have enjoyed discovering, so I cannot help but think of her as well as all the readers of this blog as I was trying to determine what I would post for today. I hope you too have enjoyed discovering which hummingbird species has the longest migration journey.

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Hummingbirds

Are There Hybrid Hummingbirds?

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Have you ever wondered if different species of hummingbirds would ever breed outside of their own species? This is a question my boyfriend has asked me about this on numerous occasions and I had to admit that I did not know the answer to this question. This is what finally prompted to do some research and then write this post.

Yes, it is possible for hummingbirds of one species to breed with a hummingbird of another species. This occurrence results in the creation of hybrid species. Numerous hummingbird species including Anna’s, black-chinned, Allen’s, Costa’s, rufous, calliope and broad-tailed hummingbirds,can breed together to create hybrid species. This is just one of many facts that make identifying the various hummingbird species so extremely challenging.

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Hummingbird Food

Food Producing Plants for Hummingbirds

There are many food producing plants which will attract hummingbirds. These include the following trees and bushes: Azaleas, Mimosa, Weigela, Cape Honeysuckle and Flowering Quince. You can also have a perennial bed with Bee Balm, Columbine, Lupine, Coral Bells and Cannas.

Why not consider planting your own variety of annuals yourself from seed rather then buying them from a local plant nursery? It is interesting that many plants which are nursery grown tend to have less nectar then those which are grown from seed. Why this is I cannot explain, because I could not find an explanation in my research.

There are a wide range of annuals that you can to plant. The following are only offered as suggestions and not intended to be a complete list. A few suggestions include the following: Fuchsia, Impatiens, Petunias and Firespike.

The hummingbirds that visit your yard will be so pleased with the numerous varieties of plants on which to feed as well as the tiny bugs which will provide a valuable source of protein for the hummingbird’s diet.

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Dear Mom Hummingbirds

Is the Nest Abandoned Or Not?

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A relative had found a hummingbird nest in their yard and they then spent the next several days observing it and the activity of the mother feeding her young. I then received a call because the relative was concerned because they feared the young hummingbird had been abandoned by its mother. They wanted to know what to do if anything. My advice follows and I know that my mom would have been fascinated by the situation as well.

It is very rare for abandonment to occur but it can happen. Take note of whether the young appear to be healthy. This is a good sign that the young are being well cared for. It is likely that the mother bird has gone in search of food to feed the young and will eventually return to the nest. Another possible explanation may be that due to the young hummingbird’s stage of development the need for feeding may occur very infrequently and you are therefore unable to observe it happening.

The best advice I can offer is that you will need to watch the nest continuously for an hour or longer to know if the mother hummingbird has returned to the nest or not. If after all this, you have not seen the mother hummingbird return, I would then finally recommend that you contact a wildlife expert for further assistance with handling the matter.

I am happy to report that the nest in my relative’s yard had not been abandoned, as the relative saw the mother hummingbird later in the day. Of course, this news made me quite happy, but I was also pleased to be able to provide them with the knowledge and assistance required. I sincerely hope this information could also benefit you if it ever became necessary.