Home › Posts filed under Quick fun Facts
Showing posts with label Quick fun Facts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quick fun Facts. Show all posts

What is Veterans Day?

Veterans Day is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world also fall on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

You might also find it interesting that the study of wild birds’ many survival techniques has been integral to the establishment of many military improvements.
  1. Birds taught the military about camouflage - The development of camouflage was the result of studying birds and copying how they camouflaged themselves. An American artist and zoologist, Abbott Thayer published a book in 1909 called Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom. This book focused a lot on birds and was widely read by military leaders in an attempt to understand how to camouflage military equipment and troops.
  2. Bird’s eye view gives military advantage – Man followed the birds in to the air. Since the middle of the First World War air warfare has revolutionized military conflict. Airborne supremacy is now a key element to success on the battlefield.
  3. Birds’ migratory V flight pattern adopted by military - A flock of geese can fly 70 percent farther by adopting the V shape rather than flying in isolation. The V formation also gives each bird an unobstructed field of vision, allowing flock members to see each other and communicate while in flight. Fighter pilots often use this formation for the same reason.
  4. Birds’ sentry system serves as an example to protect military members – Many bird species like crows and blue jays use a sentry system to protect members of a group and improve the chances of a good meal. Like birds warn companions of any danger with a distinctive "watchman's song", soldiers keep in regular radio contact with their colleagues to assure them all is well.
  5. Birds were drafted the military - During World War I and World War II, the U.S. military enlisted more than 200,000 pigeons to conduct surveillance and relay messages.
I want to wish everybody out there a peaceful Vetrans Day and a special thanks to all who have served this country!

Related Articles:
• The Bald Eagle is the National Symbol of the USA: What are some other Countries' National Birds http://bit.ly/tCORyh 
• Crows Never Forget a Face - http://t.co/pzsrvb3 
• Why do geese fly in a V formation? http://t.co/OmIn8Nw 
• War Pigeon Remembered http://t.co/5yiXSNS 
• Why is the Dove a Symbol of Peace? http://t.co/Br4EnlB 
• War Birds http://t.co/t7WJp99
Category ›

Why owls are associated with Halloween

The variety of myths surrounding owls range from the idea that they bring bad luck, announce death, or take away souls, to the belief that they provide cures for ailments, ward off evil spirits, and guide the dead on their journeys. Many superstitions persist to this day.

In autumn there are a lot of first year owls that leave their parents and move to new territories. Inexperienced young birds that make swoop downs on unsuspecting nighttime travelers walking a dark and lonely road can make the beginning of a great story.

The turning head, glowing eyes, silent flight, night hunting, and cackling like an otherworldly creature also helped make the owl a part of our Halloween traditions.

Today however, when we think of owls we know they are a beautiful and valuable asset to the natural ecology feeding on rodents, insects, frogs, lizards, and birds. We can study and admire their silent flight, incredible eyesight and hearing, and their ability to almost completely turn their heads around.
 
Related Articles:
- Fun Facts on Owls http://bit.ly/t6elFd
- Amazing Vocals of the Barred Owl http://bit.ly/sguMqL
- Snowy Owls http://bit.ly/ylJmQq
- Eastern Screech Owl http://bit.ly/wMQBZj  
- Great Horned Owl http://bit.ly/zmlFqY
- Great Gray Owl http://bit.ly/tAewYm 
- Long-eared Owl http://goo.gl/qGgbju
Category ›

Unusual bird migrations

The Shortest:
Mountain Quail (Oreortyx pictus) live primarily in areas of dense cover in the wooded foothills and mountains along the West Coast of the United States. In the fall these birds congregate into family groups of up to 20 birds and make their way from their summer home in the mountains, into the sheltered valley below the snowline in the winter. This seasonal journey by the quail may cover distances of up to 20 miles by foot.
The Longest:
A Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) holds the record for the longest known non-stop migration. Using satellite tracking, birds in New Zealand were tagged and tracked all the way to the Yellow Sea in China. According to Dr. Clive Minton, "The distance between these two locations is 5950 miles, but the actual track flown by the bird was 7258 miles. This is the longest known non-stop flight of any bird. The flight took approximately nine days.” Researchers found that the Bar-tailed Godwits flights southward ranged in duration from 5.0 to 9.4 days and from 5950 to 7258 miles.
The routes of satellite tagged 
Bar-tailed Godwits migrating north 
from New Zealand to Korea and China

Sources:
Related Articles:
- How do Birds Migrate? http://bit.ly/nNCI6d  
- Migration vs. Hibernation http://bit.ly/n0z040
- What birds migrate from Michigan? http://bit.ly/qa0CVU
- How many birds would you say die or get injured during migration? http://bit.ly/r5o3NQ
Category ›

White-throated Sparrow fun facts

It was so warm yesterday all the windows were open and I heard the call of a bird I only hear 2 times a year in mid-Michigan. In the spring I hear the song and know frost free days are ahead. In the fall when I hear them I know freezing days are just around the corner.

I'm now waking up to this song that sounds like a chickadee trying to sing under water. I haven't looked under the feeders yet but I'm sure I'll see the fist wave of White-throated sparrows.

They nest in upper Michigan and Canada. Fall migration begins in September, and we usually start to see them by mid-October (before the first permanent snowfall). They migrate in loose flocks, flying at night and foraging during the day. As with most species, fall migration is slower than spring migration, with longer stopovers. We can probably expect them to stay in our area for a few weeks

Some fun facts:
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
Order: PASSERIFORMES Family: Sparrows (Emberizidae)

• Individual White-throated Sparrows have either white stripes on their head or tan stripes. These distinct color forms are genetic in origin. White-striped birds are more aggressive than tan-striped ones, and each bird almost always mates with a bird whose stripe color is opposite from their own. They all have distinct white throat feathers.
•White-throated Sparrows are known to migrate at night and begin their flights around sunset. Some research studies suggest they use star patterns as one means of navigation.
•A group of sparrows has many collective nouns, including a "crew", "flutter", "quarrel", and "ubiquity" of sparrows.
•The White-throated and White-crowned sparrows only pass through mid-Michigan as they migrate north or south in the spring and fall.
•You may hear the birds before you see them. I always think White-throated sparrows have a song that sounds like a chickadee yodeling. Birders describe their song as "poor Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody"

Related Articles: 
What Bird is Singing Outside My Window: How to identify birds' songs http://bit.ly/qIoqqR 
Sparrows Native to mid-Michigan http://bit.ly/oy9XGz 
Which one of these birds is not like the others? http://bit.ly/qM1LQt 
What birds winter in Michigan? http://bit.ly/rqQgU2
Category › ,

What birds see at night

Where do the birds go at night? Can they see in the dark? ~ Baldwin Place, New York

As the sun goes down, the activity at our birdfeeders comes to an abrupt halt. Some birds head for a perch in leafy bushes, evergreens, vines or dense brush piles for the night. Starlings and pigeons can roost under bridges. Ducks often sleep while floating. Woodpeckers can hook their claws into tree bark or retreat into holes to sleep. Chickadees and titmice also roost in tree holes, bird houses or roosting pockets for safety and warmth.

At this time of year other birds may be preparing to fly through the night to their warmer wintering grounds. The numbers and variety of birds appearing in your yard can actually change every morning as species such as warblers, vireos, orioles, grosbeaks, tanagers, buntings and sparrows all migrate south.

Vision is an important sense that helps birds fly safe. This is why most birds are only active during the day. However many species migrate at night to avoid the heat of the day, windy conditions, and predators.

Scientist are still trying to understand how birds are able to perceive not only the visible range but also the ultraviolet part of the spectrum, and their other adaptations that allow for the detection of polarized light or magnetic fields. Even with specific modifications to their visual system to help them migrate at night, they often collide with brightly lit man made objects like skyscrapers, lighthouses or oil platforms.

The migration of the most birds are made up of a series of long nocturnal flights alternated with days of rest and feeding in favorable rest stops. And if they choose your yard to stop over, hopefully you’ll have fresh water, food, and shelter to make their journey a little easier.

Related Articles:
- How do Birds Migrate? http://bit.ly/nNCI6d  
- Migration vs. Hibernation http://bit.ly/n0z040
- What birds migrate from Michigan? http://bit.ly/qa0CVU
- Solving the Mysteries of Migration with Wind Tunnels http://bit.ly/qg0F53
- How many birds would you say die or get injured during migration? http://bit.ly/r5o3NQ
Category ›

The World's Largest Squirrel

At the end of summer, as I watch the woodchuck fatten up for hibernation and the chipmunks and tree squirrels gather nuts to eat throughout the winter, it got me wondering about the biggest squirrel. 

There are eight members of the squirrel family living in mid-Michigan. The Eastern Chipmunk is the smallest Michigan squirrel at about 8-10 inches long and only 3 ounces. The Woodchuck at 30 in long and 31 pounds is the largest squirrel in Michigan.

But there are more than 200 squirrel species that live in almost every part of the world. The family Sciuridae includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels.

Tree squirrels have long, bushy tails, sharp claws and large ears. Flying squirrels have a furred membrane extending between the wrist and ankle that allows them to glide between trees. And ground squirrels generally have short, sturdy forelimbs that are used for digging and tails that are not as bushy as tree squirrels.
.
Right now the tiniest recorded squirrel in the world is the African pygmy squirrel at only 2 ½ inches long from nose to tail and an average of ½ an ounce in weight.
.
The Indian giant squirrel is the largest tree squirrel and is native to India. Their body is over a foot long and their tail is an amazing 2 feet long. This makes them over 3 feet from nose to tail with an average weight of about 4 pounds.

Related Articles: 
- Squirrel proof bird feeder reviews http://bit.ly/waJs9o 
- How do I keep squirrels off my bird feeders? http://bit.ly/yiZsML 
- Why are Squirrels Called Squirrels? http://bit.ly/yhktkr 
- How many species of squirrels are in Michigan? http://bit.ly/yYt6Nb 
- How high can squirrels jump to bird feeders? http://goo.gl/XuvwNe
- Found! New squirrel species discovered. http://goo.gl/LUxzA0
Category ›

How to keep the bees and wasps off hummingbird feeders

The only sure defense against bees and wasps is to deny them any access to the nectar. I have replaced all my hummingbird feeders gradually with the problem free Wild Birds Unlimited saucer style feeders. The bees don’t like the saucer style because the nectar is down low, there is no leaking or dripping, they have a built in ant moat and they are easy to clean and fill. There are also optional bee guards you can attach to allow only hummers and no bugs access.

There are different styles and sizes of the saucer style hummingbird feeders, even a window feeder! They all have perches (I love it when they stop to drink) and bright colored tops to attract the birds naturally. Both the cover and the clear bowl are constructed with UV stable poly carbonate, the most durable plastic available, are dishwasher safe, come with a lifetime guarantee, and are made in the USA.

If you choose not to try a new feeder right now, I have three tips to stop bees:

1.    Deter Bees: I discovered bees don't like the smell of cherries. If you swab the ports with real almond or cherry extract (purchased at any grocery store baking isle), the bees will avoid the feeder. This really works but it wears off fast and you have to reapply the extract every day.
2.    Distract Bees:Use a super-concentrated sugar water mix (two parts water, one part sugar), and pour it into a shallow plate, preferably a big yellow one (bees seem to be attracted to that color). Put the plate on a ladder or stool near the hummingbird feeder and they will probably move over to the plate. Once the plate is empty the bees should disperse.
3.    Disinterest Bees: Reduce the sugar concentration to 1 part sugar in 5 parts water instead of the usual nectar recipe of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water. This will make it less attractive to insects, but probably won't make the hummingbirds lose interest.

Related Articles:
Category ›

Bird Guilds: How different birds band together to survive

Have you ever noticed after breeding season in the fall and winter that sometimes there are no birds and then you see a woodpecker, then a nuthatch, and then a cloud of different birds descending on the feeders?

It’s not unusual for a group of mixed species to fly together for protection and to forage for food. If you take a walk in the woods you may observe that certain birds gather together in a relatively small space, while the remainder of the woodland is empty.
New York :Macmillan,1895. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13201239
Titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, Brown Creepers, and woodpeckers which do most of their foraging on trees are sometimes called a tree-foraging guild. Bird guilds are groups of species in a community that exploit the same set of resources in a similar manner, but are not necessarily related closely taxonomically.

Black-capped Chickadee: Nature’s Backyard Charmer
Migrating warblers, kinglets, pewees, gnatcatchers, and vireos may join tree-foraging guilds for a short time during migration stopovers. I love it when the kinglets fly in to mingle with the chickadees every fall. The Black-capped Chickadee seems like such a small bird until it’s sitting next to the teeny tiny crowned kinglet.

But even though these birds work together to survive there are still scuffles and fights to determine hierarchy. Sometimes it’s based on size; the larger Hairy Woodpeckers are more dominant over the smaller Downy Woodpecker which is more dominant than the White-breasted Nuthatch, which can be more dominant then the titmouse which is always more dominant than the chickadee. Dominance may also be determine through age and gender. An older male titmouse may find he’s socially dominant over a young female nuthatch.

Socially dominate tree-foraging birds get first choice at where they want to feed on the tree. This may be why the little least dominant chickadee has developed a special ability to charm humans into giving them treats. At my feeding stations I try to keep all the birds happy with a variety of foods at different levels and in different locations around the yard.

Related Articles:
Category ›

Bizarre bird behavior: Why small birds attack a big bird

Territorial blackbirds peck at hawk’s neck
as they try to drive it away
(Picture by: Alan Stankewitz/Bizarre Archive)
It seems whenever I see a hawk overhead there are two or more small birds “attacking” it. Is this a territorial thing? Why do the hawks put up with it?

Actually the big bird will occasionally take a whack at tormentors, but normally the mid air maneuvers required to catch the little birds would cost them too much energy. Little birds are far more agile than the big one, and choose their attacks carefully. Small birds tend to fly above a larger bird and interrupt the big bird’s flight with a series of pecks to the neck and wings.

The behavior of small birds attacking a larger predator is called "mobbing." The smaller birds are trying to drive the bigger bird out of their territory. Blue Jays and American Crows mob birds of prey all year long; while other birds like mockingbirds, red-winged blackbirds, and common grackles primarily mob these big birds during the breeding season.
Photographer Rob Palmer
captured this incredible picture in Colorado.

For the big bird, fleeing is more reasonable than expending unnecessary energy thwarting a small pest that is simply more versatile in air. However, if your lucky you might witness a more experienced large bird using flight techniques such as barrel rolls to flash their talons at smaller birds or to get crows and ravens off their backs.
Related Articles:

Category ›

Male and female cardinals remain in close contact year-round

A regular resident of mid-Michigan backyards, the Northern Cardinals form one of the bird world's most faithful pair bonds. The male and female remain in close contact year-round, singing to one another through the seasons with soft, bubbly whistles. The female is known to sing while on the nest, and it is believed that she is informing her partner whether or not she or the young need food.

The red color of the Cardinal’s feathers is the result of pigments called carotenoids. The amount of the pigment ingested, and then deposited in the feathers as they molt in the fall, influences the quality and depth of their red coloration. A study done by the Ohio State University found that juveniles, less efficient foragers than adults, often have a duller red feather coloration.

At the feeding stations the birds tend to prefer seeds that provide the most nutrients. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a landmark study of bird food preferences in 1980 for several bird species and found cardinals exhibited the greatest preference for fresh oil sunflower, peanuts, safflower, and millet. They avoid buckwheat, cracked corn, milo, oats, wheat, nyjer, canary, flax, rapeseed, and rice.

A cardinal's food habits in the north consists of more than 75% plant material from November to April. From May to October it changes to about 50% plant and the rest consists of animal matter predominately from insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, butterfly and moth larvae, cicadas, treehoppers, leafhoppers, and dragonflies.

Regardless of the season, the bird species you attract is determined primarily by the seeds you offer. To provide the most beneficial foods to meet birds' nutritional needs, the birds in Michigan should be fed fresh Black-Oil Sunflower, Sunflower Chips, White Proso Millet, Safflower, Peanuts, Nyjer® Thistle, nectar, mealworms, or suet.

Avoid purchasing seed blends that contain filler seeds that will be kicked out of the feeder and can leave a dangerous moldy pile under your feeders.
Wild Birds Unlimited No-mess Blend is our best selling blend. It has everything the birds want and leaves no messy shells behind. For more info on our unique No-Mess Blend bird seed which features seeds that have had their shells removed so only the meat of the seed is left, click HERE.
Whatever seed, seed cake, or suetyou choose at Wild Birds Unlimited, we guarantee it will be fresh and a healthy choice for our local birds.

Related Articles:
Category ›

Goldfinches choose their mates in July

There is a lot of excitement among the goldfinches in July as breeding season begins!

Cornell's website http://www.allaboutbirds.org/ writes that "paired-up goldfinches make virtually identical flight calls; goldfinches may be able to distinguish members of various pairs by these calls."

The female chooses her mate based on his bright coloring, song, and impressive flight displays. During courtship, the birds will fly in circles, with the male warbling throughout the flight.

After a male has been chosen, nesting territories are selected. Males will flit from one perch to another and warble around the perimeter of his territory. They will also perform flight displays. Look for the males as they fly in an exaggerated version of their normal undulating butterfly flight. 
Related Articles:

Category ›

Find out why they are called Grackles

I’m not sure why, but the name of the Common Grackle is the bird people have the most trouble remembering (i.e. Cackles, Gackles, Big Bad Blackbirds). As it turns out, it was one of the most difficult birds to name too.

Diana Wells writes in her book 100 Bird and How They Got Their Names, that when naturalists first came to explore North America it was difficult to determine to which genus these birds belonged. In between the size of a crow and starling, the common name, grackle, came from gracula, which is Latin for the Jackdaw or small crow.

In the 1700's, Carl Linnaeus a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature, gave the grackle their scientific name Quiscalus quiscula. This is from the Latin quis, which means “who” and qualis, which means “of what kind?”

In Michigan, Common Grackles eat lots of bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, spiders, crustaceans, mollusks, fish, frogs, salamanders, mice, and other birds like sparrows. As they gather in the fall their diet changes to more seeds such as corn, rice, sunflowers, acorns, tree seeds, fruits, and garbage.

By October most Common Grackles have left Michigan to forage and roost in large communal flocks with several different species of blackbirds. Sometimes these flocks can number in the millions.

Related Articles:
Category ›

American Goldfinches nest in July


Many outdoor activities may fall prey to the “summer doldrums” during these warm and steamy months…but backyard bird feeding is not one of them.

If you don't feed the birds in the summer, you will miss out on a growing cast of birds that are displaying their most dazzling plumage and interesting behaviors. High on the list for entertainment value is of one of our most luminous backyard birds — the goldfinch.

During July, long after most birds have started their families, the American Goldfinch is just beginning its nesting process for the first and only time of the year. You do not want to miss this exciting time of vibrant song and fascinating courtship behavior.

Goldfinch nesting coincides with the availability of plant down for nest construction and the abundant supply of their preferred food to feed their young.

Young goldfinches are dependent on their parents for at least three weeks after fledging. Their energetic begging, chasing and harassment of their parents for food at your feeders are truly some of the biggest payoffs of participating in the bird feeding hobby.

Goldfinches love to eat fresh, dry Nyjer® (thistle), and they also enjoy sunflower chips. Make sure you have plenty on hand to take advantage of one of the most exciting times of year to feed birds…it’s a sure cure for the summer doldrums!

Source: WBU Nature News
Category ›

Photo Share: Eastern Bluebirds feeding mealworms


Stopping at the local hangout
Picking up dinner for the family
.
.
.

Hi Sarah,
This will be the last baby bluebird photo. Our monitoring is done for this batch so we don’t have a early fledgling:) They allowed me to sit and take their pictures. Please use or don’t use whatever you like. I just love to share what we are so blessed to see and catch on camera!
Holly



Fat and happy
Love 'em! Thank you so much for sharing.
I notice Bluebirds and Robins are pretty good at worm wrangling.

However when I watch my oriole, it seems he just doesn't have the knack to take more than one home at a time.
Sarah

If anyone else would like to share a photograph of nature send it to bloubird@gmail.com and I'll put it on the Friday Photo posts.   
Category ›

How to identify baby Mourning Doves

I see a lot of mourning doves at my feeder. How do I tell which ones are the babies? ~ Mason, MI
juvenile Mourning Dove at East Lansing, MI Wild Birds Unlimited store
Mourning Doves can be found throughout most of North America and are considered among the top ten most abundant birds in the United States. While the average longevity for a typical adult is only about 1.5 years, the oldest known free-living Mourning Dove, as proven by bird banding research, was more than 31 years old. This is the longest life-span ever recorded for any terrestrial bird found in North America.

Male and female Mourning doves
Mourning Doves are a medium-sized with a grayish brown back, a buff underneath, black spots on the wings, and a black spot shaped like a comma below and behind the eye.

They have a small, thin black bill, red legs and dark brown eyes. Males are larger than females and show more color with a bluish cap, pink chest and neck feathers and three white outer tail feathers. The female is graced with an olive gray cap and a tan breast. Neck feathers can be greenish or pinkish with one or two white outer feathers.

Mourning Doves sit on their eggs for about 2 weeks, feed the babies in the nest for about 2 weeks and then care for their young for about a month after they've fledged. Both male and female mourning doves share in incubating and feeding their young.

Juvenile Mourning Doves look like the parents except for a little white at the end of each feather and a lack of iridescent feathers.
 
Related Articles:
Category ›

Growing up to be just like dad

Most swans mate for life. Males are called cobs, females are called pens and young are called cygnets. Swans families stick together for about a year. The cygnets get adult plumage at about 15 months but can enter the water soon after hatching.

To achieve flight, swans face the wind, run along the surface of the water for 15 to 20 feet, flap their wings, and beat the water with their feet alternately until they have gained sufficient headway to launch into the air. During flight in v-shaped formations, swans achieve speeds up to 100 miles an hour with a tail wind.
Category ›

A closer look at the fee-bee song of the chickadee

I woke up this morning to the beautiful whistled fee-bee song of the Black-capped Chickadee. Most people know that the chickadee sings Chicka-dee-dee-dee to communicate, not everyone realizes that they also sing a fee-bee song more often in the spring.

In the Wild Bird Guides: Black-capped Chickadee, Susan Smith writes the loud fee-bees actually involve three notes. The first (fee) is high, the second (bee) is low, and the third is slightly higher in pitch than the second, like they are singing hey sweetie.

These fee-bee songs in the morning are used by the males to attract a mate or once they have a mate, establish nesting territories. There is also a quieter fee-bee that the males use when talking to their mates. When a male approaches his nest he alerts his female with a faint fee-bee and both male and females use the little fee-beesong to tell their nestling that they’re there and food is coming.

Related Articles:
Category ›

Why we call a brown bird with an orange belly Robin Redbreasts

European Robin
The American Robin was named by early British colonists after the European Robin they left behind. The two are only related distantly, but both have orange/red breasts.

In the fifteenth century, when it became popular to give human names to familiar species, the bird came to be known as Robin Redbreast. Orange as a color was unknown in English until the sixteenth century, when the fruit called an Orange was introduced.

Before the English-speaking world was exposed to the fruit, the color was referred to as "yellow-red" (geoluhread in Old English). Orange as a color was used descriptively in the sixteenth century (as in orange-coloured), but was not established as a basic color word until well into the twentieth century.

American Robin
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_%28word%29

Related Articles:
Category ›

Bald Eagle watches over veterans at the cemetery

When amateur photographer Frank Glick drove through Fort Snelling National Cemetery early one morning, he spotted a bald eagle through the mist, perched on a gravestone.

Read the full article by: Jon Tevlin, Star Tribune, “The eagle couldn't have picked a better person” at: http://www.startribune.com/local/124543223.html 

Related Articles:
Category ›

It's Hummingbird time

Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds begin migrating into Michigan mid-April and by Mother’s day they have probably settled into their nesting territories.

If you haven’t put your feeder up, what are you waiting for? It’s not too late! Hummingbirds don’t need your feeder to survive, but they might appreciate a reliable source of food with this cold spring we’ve been experiencing. Also these incredible little birds are fascinating to watch and a hummingbird feeder can bring them up close.

Only about 50% of all hummers survive their first year. Cold weather takes a toll on all hummer species because their high-energy requirements don’t allow them to go without food for long.

When they aren’t at the feeder, hummingbirds find nectar from a variety of flowers as well as sap from trees. Throughout the day a hummer drinks more than half its body weight in nectar. But that pointy hummingbird bill isn’t only for sipping nectar; it’s also made for snatching bugs out of the air.

Hummingbirds eat a lot of insects and spiders. They are excellent hunters. Hummingbirds can catch insects in flight, or pluck them from leaves, or catch spiders from their webs. (Sometimes I suggest throwing old fruit or banana peels near your hummingbird feeders to attract fruit flys for the hummers.)

When a hummingbird goes for an insect, it rushes at it with its mouth wide open, and the lower half of its bill can bend downward, even though it has no joint. But they're so fast it takes a camera that films 500 frames a second to capture the move.
 
PBS’s Nature produced an interesting documentary that explains how these tiny birds survive. You can watch the full episode, Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air, online at: http://video.pbs.org/video/1380512531/
Category ›
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)