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By Ilene Hoffman
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
Imagine you weigh less than a nickel (five grams), are 3.5 inches long, and flap your arms 60 to 80 times per second. You travel about 1,000 miles a year from Massachusetts to Mexico and Central America to breed. What are you?
A ruby-throated hummingbird.
The ruby-throated hummingbirds are among the smallest of birds and have the least number of feathers, which may be why you’ll never see a hummingbird feather pillow. Hummingbirds are also the only bird that can fly backwards and hover in place. The sound of their wings, more subtle than a buzzing bee, accounts for the humming name, but they often sound like a teeny motorboat.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds look metallic green around the head and back, while the chest is white. The male has an iridescent ruby red throat, called a gorget, which looks black until light hits it. The male’s tail is dark and forked, but the female’s tail is rounded, dark and has white tips. They have long beaks and sip nectar with a forked tongue.
Of the 12 to 15 species that frequent the US, only the ruby-throated hummingbirds visit the New England area. There are 338 known hummingbird species worldwide.
These little critters arrive in late April and early May and stay until early September, when they make the long, solo 20-plus hour journey to their warm breeding grounds. National Hummingbird Day is the first Saturday in September, so they probably stay to celebrate their special day.
You don’t have to be a bird enthusiast to enjoy the shenanigans of the hummingbird. These territorial birds often have disagreements over feeders and flowers, which account for much of their entertaining antics. To avoid birds chasing each other away, use multiple feeders and plants.
These cuties swallow up to 50 percent of their body weight in nectar every day. The nectar acts as fuel for their carnivorous fly-catching activities. They get their protein from small insects, such as gnats, flies, mosquitoes and spiders.
If you like flower gardens, it’s easy to plant species that attract humming birds. Planting flowers negates the feeder-cleaning regime and lets nature beckon the birds for you. Recommended plants include azalea, Cape or coral honeysuckle, morning glory, petunia, foxglove or hosta. Red and orange flowers are best. A detailed plant list is available at http://www.hummingbirds.net/attract.html.
If you aren’t a gardener and want to attract hummingbirds, add a special feeder to your shopping list. Hummingbird feeders may be purchased at local gardening supply and hardware stores. The Birds and Blooms web site suggests adding an overripe banana to attract fruit flies to supplement one’s hummingbird menu.
Hummingbird nectar is comprised of one cup of pure cane granulated sugar to four cups of water. Experts note that any other sugar is harmful, and that red dye is not needed. Honey can also be deadly for hummingbirds. Store-bought nectar is not recommended, but the Facebook page, Help Save Our Hummingbirds, claims that EZNectar is the best, should you want to avoid making your own food.
Help Save Our Hummingbirds explains that feeders should be cleaned when cloudy or show black residue, which is mold. The hotter the temperature outside, the more often feeders need to be cleaned. Twice a week is a good cleaning regime when it’s between 70 to 80 degrees outside - or just clean the feeder every time you add new nectar. It is recommended that you use hot water and white vinegar with no soaps or detergents to clean feeders.
