Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Hummingbirds, July 27, 2016

Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, July 12, 2015
Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Archilochus colubris, are the most commonly seen Hummingbirds in the eastern United States. These tiny birds, only 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) long, migrate south to Mexico in the Winter, many of them making a 20 hour flight across the Gulf of Mexico.

The male (on the right) flashes his brilliant red throat feathers to warn other males away. The female's throat feathers are an off-white color. They eat tiny insects and sip nectar from flowers. They are attracted to red, tubular flowers and will come to Hummingbird feeders such as these on my front porch (filled with a 4 to 1 boiling water to sugar mixture. Cool before filling feeders).

It is not necessary for feeders to have perches. Hummingbirds are experts at hovering, and can even fly backward. Usually they come to us early in April and leave by the first of October.

Have a Happy Day!

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12 comments:

  1. Your last shot is a winner!

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  2. What a lovely view from your window. The hummers are beautiful.


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  3. WOW!!! That last shot. My husband would give his right arm to get one like this. He adore his hummers and we clean and change our feeder continually. No back drinks for our babes.
    Your pictures today are a real treat for our eyes. genie

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  4. I love my hummers...I just put another feeder out because I noticed I have a few more coming around. I am so amazed at how something so tiny could fly so many hours and miles...wow! These are great shots!

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  5. Lovely birds as always! Hummingbirds are such fascinating creatures! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. I just love the Hummers. Wonderful pictures.

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  7. Such gorgeous and amazing birds! Thank you for these great shots which provided me with a reminder of a thrilling 3-week house-sit on Vancouver Island where I filled several of these feeders each day and delighted in the sight and sound of the hummingbirds (which I'd not seen before or since)

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  8. I love that last photo! Several of my hummers do perch in my feeding area.

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  9. Love the perspective of that last pocture!

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  10. always a pleasure to watach humming birds. :)

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