Hummingbird Season

Summertime is often a favorite time of year for bird enthusiasts, and one of the biggest reasons is due to our smallest birds--hummingbirds.  

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbirds waiting in line for their turn at the feeder.  Hummingbirds are very territorial so it's unusual to see them sharing a feeder.

Here in the U.S. we have 14 species of hummingbirds that breed regularly, but there have been up to 22 species sighted, with 8 species listed as visitors and not breeding.  Hummingbirds can only be found in North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean.  There are 320 species of Hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds are truly amazing!  A hummingbird’s brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest brain to body weight proportion in the bird kingdom.  Hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have visited, and how long it will take a flower to refill.  A hummingbird’s heart beats up to 1,260 times a minute when in flight, and about 250 times per minute at rest.  These little dynamos will take about 250 breaths per minute while at rest.  


Hummingbirds actually spend most of their lives perched, but when in flight have the amazing capability to fly at an average of 25 to 30 miles per hour.  The tip of a hummingbird’s wing moves in a figure-8 fashion, which allows them to hover, fly forward, backwards, sideways, and even upside down. 

A male Ruby Throated Hummingbird perched on his favorite branch

In the eastern part of the US we mainly see one species, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a summer resident from April to October.    The Ruby-throat gets its name from the ruby colored feathers on the male’s throat. 

Hummingbirds frequent our gardens and hummingbird feeders.  Feeders are easy to find in the summer and can be purchased at your local garden or bird store.  A good hummingbird feeder will have red at the base, or on the feeding ports, since hummingbirds are really attracted to the color red.  I personally prefer feeders that are at least partly made of glass.  The glass is much easier to clean and lasts longer than plastic feeders.  The easiest and least expensive food for hummingbirds is to make your own nectar.  Use 4 parts water to 1 part sugar (granulated white sugar).  Some say to heat the water and sugar to mix them.  I have found that whisking the water/sugar mixture thoroughly until all the sugar is dissolved is sufficient, and the hummers come flocking to the feeder. 

One of the most common types of Hummingbird feeders

Another great way to attract hummingbirds to your yard is by having a garden full of plants that are hummingbird friendly.  You can get a list of plants for your region online.  I have found my flowers and feeder are most active with hummingbirds first thing in the morning, and anytime after about 4 pm as temperatures cool.

I’ve had a chance to travel throughout much of the U.S. and parts of Central America, and hummingbirds are always so much fun to see.  They range greatly in color, and have some of the most beautiful colors in the bird world.  In parts of the southwest I have sat at feeder locations and had them fly so close to my head that you think they are going to pierce your ear.  I have even had a red or bright orange shirt on and had them buzz me to get a really up close view. 

A female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

One of my favorite hummingbird sightings came last November while I was in Costa Rica.  I was riding on an aerial tram when we looked down to see this tiny white capped and burgundy-colored hummingbird working a bush.  It turned out to be a Snowcapped Hummingbird.  That white cap was like a little beacon moving around in the bush!  It was one of the coolest things that I saw in the rainforest. 

A Snowcapped Hummingbird photographed in Costa Rica

Another one of my favorites is a Hummingbird found in Southeastern Arizona, the Magnificent Hummingbird.  The bright purple and turquoise colors are absolutely amazing!

So, if you haven’t already been bitten by the Hummingbird feeder bug, give it a try.  Pick up a feeder at your local hardware or bird supply store and join the millions who watch these little creatures.  It’s a relatively inexpensive and immensely rewarding hobby.

Submitted by Cathy Spahn, World Bird Sanctuary Field Studies Coordinator