Author: Hummingbird

Categories
Hummingbirds

Hummingbird Eggs are Laid on Different Days

A female hummingbird will usually lay two very small eggs which are about the size of a jelly bean or a pea. It is interesting to note that each of these eggs will be laid on different days. In spite of this surprising fact, the eggs will still hatch on the same day.

You may be wondering, how is this possible? Well, the reason for this is because the female will not start incubating the eggs until both of the eggs have been laid, thus allowing the eggs to hatch on the same day.

The incubation of the eggs usually last between 16-18 days, but it can take up to three weeks if the weather is cooler then usual when the eggs are laid.

Categories
Dear Mom Hummingbirds

Does the Hummingbird Have a Liver?

Does a hummingbird have a liver? If so, what is its purpose? These are the kinds of unique and different questions that my mom would have wanted answered if she were still alive today. So, for my mom and all others with an unusual sense of curiosity, this post will answer these questions.

Yes, a hummingbird does indeed have a liver. This is where fats are stored within the hummingbird’s body for quick release. These fats help provide the hummingbird with energy during their migratory journey as well as helping to aide in the hummingbird’s day- to-day survival.

Categories
Hummingbird Pictures

Anna’s Hummingbird In Napa Valley

An Anna's Hummingbird is feeding at a pink flower.
An Anna's Hummingbird is feeding at a pink flower.

The photo used in this posted comes from the website Freedigitalphotos.net. The information about this photo sates it was taken in the Napa Valley. I wish to state the source of this photo in order to give proper credit and therefore not mislead my readers. Now for a little information about the Anna’s Hummingbird.

The Anna’s Hummingbird is the most common hummingbird found in Southern California. It is also one of three species of hummingbirds, along with Allen’s and Costa’s, that are permanent residents of the United States or Canada.

It is believed that the plant gooseberry and the hummingbird have evolved together, which may help explain why a favorite native food source of the Anna’s Hummingbird is red gooseberry, an abundant plant that flowers early in spring. This species of hummingbird also consumes more insects than any other North American hummingbirds, catching small flying insects on the wing in the manner of a flycatcher, or by hover-gleaning among the leaves and twigs of trees. Or they find sustenance at the sap wells of sapsuckers or by pilfering insects from the webs of spiders. The Anna’s Hummingbird eats more arthropods than most hummingbirds.

Categories
Hummingbirds

Do All Hummingbirds Have Bright Throat Feathers?

Those who know me know of my love, passion and knowledge of hummingbirds, so as a result I am often asked various questions about hummingbirds. I enjoy the opportunity to share my knowledge of hummingbirds with others. A friend who has just begun learning about hummingbirds asked me “do all hummingbirds have the brilliant iridescent throat feathers?” Also, “why are these feathers so bright?” This discussion is what has inspired me to write this post and I hope you too will be enlightened by the information found here.

First of all, not all hummingbirds have the iridescent throat feathers. These brightly colored feathers are found only on male hummingbirds. If you are just beginning to study about hummingbirds let this fact serve to help you identify the sex of the hummingbird. The color of the throat patch on the hummingbird is not caused by feather pigmentation, but rather by iridescence in the arrangement of the feathers and the influence of light level, moisture and other factors.

The brightly colored throat feathers found on the male hummingbird serve two very important functions: attracting a female and defending their territory. Female hummingbirds find these feathers to be something that attracts them to the male while other males are repelled as a result of these feathers. Also, male hummingbirds are extremely feisty and territorial and these feathers are part of their territorial display.

The color of a hummingbird’s throat feathers can serve many functions. It can provide aide in helping you identify the sex of the hummingbird as well as helping the male attract a mate as well as defend his territory.

Categories
Hummingbird Feeders Hummingbird Food

Facts About Hummingbirds and Winter

While having lunch today with a group of ladies from my church, we began having a discussion about hummingbirds and winter. This discussion let me know that many people are misinformed about hummingbirds in the winter. Because of my knowledge and love of hummingbirds, I was able to set the record straight concerning these common misconceptions regarding winter and hummingbirds. It is also what has inspired me to write today’s post and I hope that it will enlighten and entertain you.

The normal ratio that is recommended for making homemade nectar solution or sugar water is 4:1. This means four parts water to one part sugar. However, in the winter it is alright to change the ratio of your nectar or hummingbird solution to a ratio of 3:1. I make this point because many people are not aware of this and mistakenly believe that the ratio of nectar solution must always be 4:1. This simply is not true and by changing to a ratio of 3:1, you will be helping to retard the freezing of the nectar solution.

Many people also mistakenly believe that by leaving their hummingbird feeders up in winter that the hummingbirds will not migrate. It is the length of day or photoperiod is what signals to the hummingbird that it is time to migrate and this will occur regardless of whether or not your feeder remains up or not. In other words, the hummingbird will know instinctively when it is time to migrate and the feeder staying up will not stop this.

Many people also mistakenly believe that all hummingbirds must migrate, especially in the colder temperatures of winter. This is not true because not every species of hummingbird migrates. There are also those hummingbirds that are too weak or ill to make the migratory journey any longer or you could have a vagrant hummingbird in your area that is off the path of its journey. These hummingbirds will need to be fed, so it is important that they have a food source available on which to feed.

This is the common misconceptions my friends had about hummingbirds in the winter. If you yourself held any of these misconceptions, I hope that this post has served to inform you on this matter.