Interview With A Hummingbird
source: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=106744&id=730049720&l=acad246660
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- Rickharmon25
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Special Note: Link above photo is hummingbird photo album.
I took these photos of this female ruby-throated hummingbird this morning. I have not seen any males for about a month now. Courtship is apparently very brief, if it exists at all, and once mated the female raises the young alone. The walnut-sized nest, built by the female, is constructed on a foundation of bud scales attached to a tree limb with spider silk; lichens camouflage the outside, and the inside is lined with dandelion, cattail, or thistle down. The nest will stretch to contain the growing nestlings, and may sometimes be reused (rebuilt) the following year. The ruby-throated Hummingbird is by far the most common species that breeds in the eastern half of North America, although most states have sporadic Rufous sightings, and Bob and Martha Sargent have banded eight other hummingbird species as winter visitors to five southeastern states. Ruby-throats are intensely inquisitive and thus easily attracted to feeders, where males in particular typically display aggressive territoriality toward rival hummers, other birds, and even insects such as bees, butterflies, and sphinx moths. They quickly become accustomed to human presence, and will swoop down to investigate red articles of clothing, possibly as potential food sources. Feeders hung at windows attract as many visitors as ones farther from structures, and the bird that claims a feeder as its territory may spend much of the day perched nearby, guarding the food source against intruders. Many hummingbird watchers find "Hummer Warz" endlessly entertaining, although the chases are obviously serious business to the hungry birds. For a short period immediately after fledging, a female will tolerate the presence of her own young at the feeder, but they are soon treated the same as other adult birds - as rivals in pursuit of the food necessary to prepare for the fall migration. Adult male: Emerald green back, iridescent ruby red gorget (throat) that may appear black under some lighting conditions, gray flanks, forked tail with no white. Smaller than the female.
Adult female: Emerald green back, white breast and throat, rounded tail with white tips. Larger than the male, with longer bill.
Average length: 3.5 inches (8.9 cm)
Average weight: 1/8 ounce (3.1 g)
Body temperature: 105°-108°F (40.5°-42.2°C)
Wing beats: 40-80 per second, average about 52
Respiration: 250 per minute
Heart rate: 250 beats/min resting; 1200 beats/min feeding
Flight speed: 30 mph (48 kph) normal; 50 mph (80 kph) escape; 63 mph (101 kph) dive
Photo album: Wild Birds: http://current.com/items/90960180_wild-birds.htm
Video: Blue Jays: http://current.com/items/90959969_blue-jay-mates.htm
Video: Cardinal on Rainy Morning: http://current.com/items/90987513_cardinal-on-a-rainy-morning.htm
Video: Hungry Birds: http://current.com/items/90987724_hungry-birds.htm
Map from Chattanooga to the Prentie Cooper State Forest: http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Chattanooga%20Tn&daddr=Prentice%20Cooper%2...
I took these photos of this female ruby-throated hummingbird this morning. I have not seen any males for about a month now. Courtship is apparently very brief, if it exists at all, and once mated the female raises the young alone. The walnut-sized nest, built by the female, is constructed on a foundation of bud scales attached to a tree limb with spider silk; lichens camouflage the outside, and the inside is lined with dandelion, cattail, or thistle down. The nest will stretch to contain the growing nestlings, and may sometimes be reused (rebuilt) the following year. The ruby-throated Hummingbird is by far the most common species that breeds in the eastern half of North America, although most states have sporadic Rufous sightings, and Bob and Martha Sargent have banded eight other hummingbird species as winter visitors to five southeastern states. Ruby-throats are intensely inquisitive and thus easily attracted to feeders, where males in particular typically display aggressive territoriality toward rival hummers, other birds, and even insects such as bees, butterflies, and sphinx moths. They quickly become accustomed to human presence, and will swoop down to investigate red articles of clothing, possibly as potential food sources. Feeders hung at windows attract as many visitors as ones farther from structures, and the bird that claims a feeder as its territory may spend much of the day perched nearby, guarding the food source against intruders. Many hummingbird watchers find "Hummer Warz" endlessly entertaining, although the chases are obviously serious business to the hungry birds. For a short period immediately after fledging, a female will tolerate the presence of her own young at the feeder, but they are soon treated the same as other adult birds - as rivals in pursuit of the food necessary to prepare for the fall migration. Adult male: Emerald green back, iridescent ruby red gorget (throat) that may appear black under some lighting conditions, gray flanks, forked tail with no white. Smaller than the female.
Adult female: Emerald green back, white breast and throat, rounded tail with white tips. Larger than the male, with longer bill.
Average length: 3.5 inches (8.9 cm)
Average weight: 1/8 ounce (3.1 g)
Body temperature: 105°-108°F (40.5°-42.2°C)
Wing beats: 40-80 per second, average about 52
Respiration: 250 per minute
Heart rate: 250 beats/min resting; 1200 beats/min feeding
Flight speed: 30 mph (48 kph) normal; 50 mph (80 kph) escape; 63 mph (101 kph) dive
Photo album: Wild Birds: http://current.com/items/90960180_wild-birds.htm
Video: Blue Jays: http://current.com/items/90959969_blue-jay-mates.htm
Video: Cardinal on Rainy Morning: http://current.com/items/90987513_cardinal-on-a-rainy-morning.htm
Video: Hungry Birds: http://current.com/items/90987724_hungry-birds.htm
Map from Chattanooga to the Prentie Cooper State Forest: http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Chattanooga%20Tn&daddr=Prentice%20Cooper%2...
