Category: Hummingbirds

The gizzard is the name for the stomach of the hummingbird.  This is where the food is digested once it is eaten.

A friend recently asked me if hummingbirds migrate during the day or at night.  While I thought I knew the answer to this question, I told my friend that I would do some research on the matter and then get back to them with the answer to their question.  Here is what I discovered on the subject.

The migratory journey of the hummingbird takes place largely during the day.  The only exception to this is when the Ruby-throated Hummingbird has begun its migratory journey across the Gulf of Mexico.  As a result, they will be over water at night and therefore they must continue their journey until they reach the other side.

I am glad to be able to share my love and knowledge of hummingbirds with all of you.  Feel free to let me hear from you with any questions or comments that you may have about hummingbirds 

• The edges of a hummingbird’s top beak will overlap the edges of the hummingbird’s bottom beak.
• The bottom beak of a hummingbird is slightly flexible.
• The beak of a hummingbird is not all that different from the beaks of other bird species except that the beak of the hummingbird is just longer in proportion to the hummingbird’s body size.

The size of a hummingbird nest is extremely tiny; on average it will only be 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  That is the diameter of a penny.  It will usually look like a small cup that is about the size of a walnut shell.  Not all hummingbird nest are cup shaped.  The Hermit Hummingbird’s nest is cone shaped.

If you have hummingbird feeders in your yard then you have undoubtedly witnessed the very aggressive nature of the hummingbirds at your feeders.  There is often a bully that runs all the other birds away in an effort to try and protect "their" feeder.  Why is this?  What can be done about this issue?

It is important to realize that hummingbirds are very territorial in nature.  The males especially will go to great lengths to defend their food source.  This behavior cannot be changed in the hummingbird and it is a survival trait that these birds have.

As a way of combating the aggressive nature of the hummingbirds, it will help if you place multiple hummingbird feeders around your yard that are out of site of each other.  This should solve the problem of the bully because they will be unable to defend every feeder at the same time and this will allow the other birds to feed as well.

Also, the use of plants is a great way to entice the hummingbirds.  By having various plants in your yard that are known to attract hummingbirds you are offering the birds a natural and alternative food souce to the birds rather then just attracting the birds through the use of your feeders.  Some of the birds will feed on the plants in your yard  while others are feeding at the feeders and this will likely increase the number of hummingbirds that visit your yard.

Don’t let the aggressive nature of the hummingbird discourage you from trying to entice these bids into your yard.  While you cannot change this character trait of the hummingbird, there are things that you can do to combat the problem.  It is my hope that this post will offer you some advice as to solve this issue.  Please let me know if you have any suggestions of your own as to how you have successfully addressed this issue.