Whilst on WaltAbout I have seen the largest mammal in North America the mighty Buffalo and one of the smallest avians the Hummingbird. I have observed the buffalo in a few places and the hummingbirds every place. These birds are not only beautiful to see but play an important role in helping Mother Nature maintain a balance in her realm. Humming birds are very colorful little birds and have amazing flying skills. I have been able to the chicks go from an egg to fledging in several different years.
Hummingbirds are ninety percent Nectivores but they also eat spiders and insects so they are omnivores. They have the highest mass-specific metabolic rate of any homeothermic animal. They are frequent feeders being as active as they are and can flap their wings up to 80 times a second. When food becomes scarce the hummingbirds can enter a state of Torpor which slows down their metabolism and body temperature.
The hummingbird pictures at the red feeder you see above were taken at the legendary Echo Lake Lodge. This building was used for lodging, a high altitude military training site during WW2 and a restaurant/gift shop ran for many years by the same family. While I worked up there I had the opportunity to put out the feeders once in a while and those birds have voracious appetites. Most of the many hummingbirds I saw up there, were Rufous Hummingbirds. That particular species is migratory and will spend its winter in Mexico. They do not migrate in huge flocks but as individuals at a pace of their own choosing.
During the breeding season the hummingbirds need more protein so they add the insects into their diet. Hummingbirds are diurnal so they have to care for their young as well as fend for themselves during the daylight hours. They have a tongue that can extend beyond their long bills to extract Nectar from flowers. Hummingbirds do not have a strong family bond, they do not mate for life and once the chicks fledge they are on their own.
The hummingbirds play a vital role in the pollination of many plant species. As they stick their beak into the bottom of a flower to feed on its nectar, they continue to flap their wings a very high rate. In doing so they kick up the pollen from the plant into the air that are dispersed and also have remnants attached to their feathers. The bird goes from flower to flower while dispersing the pollen with its wing flaps. The iridescent humming birds are rather low on the food chain and can fall prey to many other birds and wildlife species.
The tiny hummingbird is rather territorial and will defend itself and its nest. They also are attracted to the color red, I have been buzzed many times on WaltAbout while wearing red clothing. They may not be the fastest birds in the sky with a top speed of about 30 miles an hour but they might be the most acrobatic. They can fly forward and hover like many birds but they are the only species that can fly backwards. Hummingbirds are only found in the Western Hemisphere and are truly a gift to the region that is continuing to thrive.
