Hummers Are Jewels of the North

By Janice Bengtson

For many of us who make cold Minnesota our home, the sight of a hummingbird may bring a smile to our face and a taste of the tropics. For many native cultures, the hummingbird was held in high esteem and played a serious role in tradition and ritual. For the Navajo of the Southwest, hummingbirds held places of honor along with wolves and mountain lions as brave spirit creatures. In the Pacific Northwest, the Squamish of the Puget Sound region associated hummingbirds with the ripening and harvest of salmon berries. For another tribe, the sight of a hummingbird was a signal for good luck and good weather to come. Perhaps hummingbirds played the most significant role in the Aztec culture. To them, they were called huitzil, meaning “shining one with weapon-like cactus thorn.” Legend has it that when Aztec leader Huitzitzil was killed, his spirit became a hummingbird. From that point on, Aztecs believed that all fallen warriors became hummingbirds since they are often seen “dueling” and practicing their warrior skills. Even their war god wears a bracelet of hummingbird feathers. Clothing of Aztec royalty was often decorated with hummingbird feathers as well.

Hummers have a fascinating natural history as well. Hummingbirds are the largest family of non-passerines. There are 338 species and all are found in the Americas. Fourteen species nest in the United States. The Ruby- throated is the only species that migrates each spring to Minnesota. It is one of our many Neotropical migratory birds that will summer here and winter in southern Mexico and Central America. The Ruby-throated occupies the largest breeding range of any North American hummingbird. It is found from the east coast west to the Mississippi occupying the eastern deciduous and mixed forests.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are iridescent green with a long, slender bill. Adult males have a red throat patch called a “gorget.” In certain light, this patch appears as a brilliant red color. At other times, it may appear black. Males will also have a notched tail, while females will not. The average adult ruby-throated will be 3.5 inches long and weigh only 3-4 grams – as much as a penny! Don’t be fooled by their tiny size, as they are capable of migrating non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico. To prepare for this unbelievable journey of 500 miles, they will gorge themselves on nectar and small insects to double their size. Upon arrival, the males will set up territories around food sources. If food is plentiful, territories may be as close as 50 feet.

During courtship, males will display when females enter their territories. This display includes a series of U-shaped looping dives above the female. The male then shifts to side-to-side arcs. After mating, the female will seek out a location to build her tiny nest. It takes about 10 days for the female to complete a walnut shaped nest made out of plant down, animal fur, soft grass or moss. It is held together with spider web and is often “decorated” with bits of lichen and moss, providing camouflage. It is tiny to say the least, measuring 1-2 inches high and 1.5 inches across. It is found an average of 10- 20 feet above the ground. Generally, the female will lay two eggs. Incubation of the eggs is 2 weeks and three weeks later, the young fledge.

Hummingbirds are daytime feeders. Their diet consists of nectar, small insects and tree sap. They seem to prefer the nectar of red tubular flowers. Some favorites at Tamarac include columbine, wild bergamot, jewelweed, honeysuckle and paintbrush. It is easy to see that certain species of flowers and hummingbirds have evolved together.
For many here in Minnesota, attracting ruby-throats is a popular summer hobby. A simple sugar solution can be prepared by using a ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. The solution should be brought to a boil and then cooled before filling the feeder. Any unused sugar water can be refrigerated. The addition of red food coloring is unnecessary as feeding ports of feeders are red. The “nectar” should be changed on a regular basis, once or twice a week, to prevent the formation of black fungus.

Hummer Trivia:

• A hummingbird can fly forward at 40 miles per hour.
• A hummingbird can beat its wings 70 strokes per second.
• To conserve energy, hummingbirds have the ability to enter “torpor,” a short term form of hibernation on a nightly basis
• In flight, a hummer’s heart rate may race to 20 beats/second.
• Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards and upside down.
• Hummingbirds will reject nectar that is less than 12% sugar (the sweetness of Coca-Cola)
• They lap nectar with their tongues at a rate of 13 licks per second.
  Whether it be through native culture or natural history, hummingbirds are amazing and admired creatures. Why not reward these jewels of flight this summer by feeding them in your own backyard?

Stop by the visitor center to see the hummingbirds, orioles and other migrants at the feeders.