Wd Series Bwd Series E -Book

E-BOOK BWD SERIES BWD SERIES E -BOOK BWD eBOOK SERIES eA Hummingbirdse-book downloadable pdf P.O. Box 110 • 149 Acme St. Marietta, OH 45750 CHARLES MELTON No portion of this document may be used without written permission. Contact [email protected] or call (800) 879-2473 for more information. ©2008 Bird Watcher’s Digest. The Bird Watcher’s Digest logo, Bird Watcher’s Digest icons, and proprietary content contained within this pdf document are all copyright Bird Watcher’s Digest, Pardson, Inc. All rights reserved. E-BOOK BWD SERIES BWD SERIES E -BOOK BWD eBOOK SERIES Hummingbirds eA CONTENTS 1 Chapter 1: What is a Hummingbird? 2 From the Beginning 2 Hummer Living Habits 3 Mating and Raising Young 3 Going South for the Winter 4 Range Maps 5 Chapter 2: Frequently Asked Questions 8 Chapter 3: Top 10 Things You Can Do to Attract Hummingbirds 11 Chapter 4: Gardening for Hummingbirds 13 Continental East 13 Midwest/Great Plains 18 Humid South 18 California/Pacifi c Coast 19 Pacifi c Coast/Northwest 19 Mountain West 20 Canadian North 20 Desert Southwest 21 Chapter 5: Cleaning Hummingbird Feeders 22 More Tips for Hummingbird Lovers 23 Copyright ©2008 HUMMINGBIRDS was produced by the staff of Bird Watcher’s Digest: Bill Thompson, III, Editor-in-Chief, Booklet Design; Claire Mullen, Production Director; Jim Cirigliano, Managing Editor; Ed Kanze, Contributing Writer, Barbara Richardson, Contributing Writer, Miles Blumhardt, Contributing Writer, Warren Balygooyen, Contributing Writer, Lynn Hassler, Contribut- ing Writer, and Rita Randazzo, Contributing Writer. Bird Watcher’s Digest is published by Pardson Corporation, P.O. Box 110, Marietta, Ohio 45750. To download additional copies of HUMMINGBIRDS, or other books in our e-book series, visit birdwatchersdigest.com. For BWD subscription information, call us toll-free, at 1-800-879-2473. JULIE ZICKEFOOSE ISBN # 1-880241-28-5 birdwatchersdigest.com 1 What is a C H A P T E R 1 Hummingbird? Jewels of the bird world. A dictionary will say that a hummingbird is “any of Andes Mountains of South America, where their an- numerous tiny, brightly colored nonpasserine birds re- cestors were insect-eating, swift-like birds. One or more Alated to the swifts and, like them, having narrow wings hummingbird species can be found in nearly every with long primaries, a long bill, and a very extensile habitat in the New World, except for the polar regions tongue.” Somehow these words just don’t convey all and mountains with permanent ice cover. Colombia, the attributes of a hummer. Ecuador, and Peru all boast of being home to more A hummingbird is an extraordinary bird clad in than 100 species. This number decreases as one goes glittering iridescent feathers. The hummingbird family, north or south from the equator. Costa Rica has record- Trochilidae, occurs only in the Western Hemisphere, ed about 50 species. Sixteen species are known to have where it is second only to the tyrant flycatchers in num- bred in the United States, though a couple of those ber of species. The 328 hummingbird species presently probably do not nest within U.S. borders every year. recognized are considerably more diverse in size, color Hummers are notable for their acrobatic flight patterns, and lifestyle than are the 20-plus hummer spe- capabilities, tiny size, and jewel-like appearance. cies recorded in North America north of Mexico. Flower nectar is a major part of the hummingbird’s diet. While consuming nectar, a hummingbird also From the beginning collects pollen from one flower and deposits it on the Ornithologists who study the evolution of birds reproductive parts of the next flower, thus providing CHARLES MELTON believe that hummingbirds originated in the northern the plant with a means of reproducing. Throughout BWD E-BOOK SERIES: Hummingbirds birdwatchersdigest.com 2 the Americas, many flowers are adapted for hummer pollination. Hummer living habits Hummingbirds do not live by nectar alone. They also eat small flying insects, which they catch by darting about within a swarm or by sallying out from a perch. Insects provide protein, vitamins, and minerals that are an essential part of the hummer’s diet. Throughout the hummingbird family, breeding systems follow just a few distinct patterns. Many North American species rely on spectacular stylized display flights that trace a “J,” a “U,” or an “O” in the air. Often their flights are oriented to permit the male to catch sunlight with his splendid iridescent throat feathers, or gorget, to impress a nearby female. Other species add song to the display. Hummer songs are not usually a lilting melody, but rather a few strident, scratchy notes given from a perch. Of the widely distributed North American species, Anna’s The hummingbird moth or sphinx moth is sometimes mistaken hummingbirds are the best-known songsters, whereas for a hummingbird. the little-studied buff-bellied hummingbird has the song most pleasing to the human ear. nest is destroyed after its owner has mated, forcing the “homeless” female to dump one of her eggs into a Mating and raising young neighbor’s nest. In most hummer species, the female initiates nest Incubation begins when the second egg is laid. construction, then seeks a mate from among nearby The young hatch naked, blind, and helpless after a 12 territorial males. She gathers materials—plant down, to 15-day period during which the female leaves only grasses, bits of lichen—from the surrounding area. to eat. At first, the hatchlings are brooded frequently Spider webbing or sticky silk from cocoons latches the and fed a diet of nectar, minute insects, and spiders. structure to the chosen site and binds the other mate- Protein accounts for about nine percent of the nest- rials together. The nest must be warm and durable to lings’ food, three times the amount required by adult protect the hatchlings. hummers. No pair bond is formed beyond the act of copu- Nourished with high-protein foods and tender lation. Incubation and care of the young are done maternal care, the young birds grow rapidly and are exclusively by the female, while the male continues to ready to leave the nest in a little more than three court as many consorts as possible. weeks. At that point they are fully feathered and After mating, the female concentrates her efforts almost the same size as the adults. The female contin- on the eggs and young. Each egg is about the size ues to feed the newly fledged youngsters for a week or of a navy bean, and two eggs are a complete clutch. so, but after that they are considered competitors and Usually there is a two-day interval between the laying are chased out of the natal territory. of the first egg and the second. Occasionally nests are Young hummers of both sexes resemble the found to contain three eggs, but these are thought to female. In a few species, such as broad-billed, magnifi- be the work of two females. This may happen if a cent, and blue-throated, characteristic male plumage TINTS PAST BWD E-BOOK SERIES: Hummingbirds birdwatchersdigest.com 3 Most small birds, including ruby-throated hummingbirds, migrate at night—perhaps to take advantage of the cooler, calmer air of night, or to avoid the hawks who are hunting by day, or to use the stars for navigation. CHARLES MELTON emerges with the first full set of feathers. For most Most North American hummers can tolerate cold other species the fledglings migrate to their wintering for periods ranging from a few hours to a couple of grounds, and remain in their plain immature feathers days as long as there is sufficient food available. They until early spring. The molt into adult plumage is ac- do not ordinarily build quantities of body fat except complished while the birds are in Mexico and Central during migration. Hummers adapt to temporary en- America, prior to northward migration in spring. ergy shortages by lowering their body temperatures and metabolic functions. In doing so, they enter a Going south for the winter state of torpor in which they appear to be dead, but Most of the hummers that nest in North America are actually in a trancelike state. Arousal from torpor migrate to tropical habitats during the nonbreeding usually requires 30 minutes or more until body tem- seasons, because regions with icy winters cannot perature returns to normal. support birds that require nectar and flying insects. Hummingbirds are amazing creatures. In many Of course, some areas of the United States are tem- respects they are just like ordinary birds, but their perate enough to provide insects and flowers all year, marvelous adaptations enable them to live in an ex- and these places may have hummingbirds through- traordinary way. The hummingbird’s beauty is much out the year. more than “feather deep.” BWD E-BOOK SERIES: Hummingbirds birdwatchersdigest.com 4 Species Profiles of North American Hummingbirds Allen’s Hummingbird Anna’s Hummingbird • Males’ green back Calypte anna • Male has rose-red crown Selasphorus sasin Summer separates Allen’s from and gorget, sings from Year-Round rufous Winter exposed perch • Male has a “J”-shaped • Many overwinter along Migration Year-Round display flight Pacific coast • Call: chp, chp, chp • Call: tzip CHARLES MELTON CHARLES MELTON Berylline Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird • Chestnut wings, rump, • Purple-black gorget may Amazilia beryllina Summer appear all-black Summer and tail Archilochus alexandri • Pumps tail while hovering Year-Round • Green head, neck, and Winter chest • Male has a “U”-shaped • Rare summer visitor from display flight • Call:

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