Archilochus colubris
Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds are tiny birds (three and a half inches long).
They are metallic green above, and white underneath. They
have a long needle-like bill.
Male hummingbirds have a bright red throat. These birds live in
woods, gardens, and parks. Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds are almost always on the move. The fly very
fast, and can fly forwards or backwards. They can also
hover, and are one of the only birds that can do
so. Copyright, Pat
Lynch Peter Weber,
www.wildbirdphotos.com Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds migrate,
flying South for the winter. When they return in the Spring,
they begin courtship. Usually, the female watches from a
perch, while the male swings and dips in the air. Once they
have mated, the birds build a nest. Hummingbird nests are
woven with plant materials and spiderweb silk. It is then
covered with lichens.
Nests are small, like the birds, and are only about two
inches wide. They seem to prefer American Beech and Black
Locusts as nest sites, but they will nest in other
trees. Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds lay two white eggs the size of peas. Maslowski Wildlife
Productions Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds eat insects, spiders, and nectar
from flowers. Their needle-like bills are perfect for
reaching back into long flowers. Some flowering plants
that hummingbirds visit, include: Yellow Poplar, Trumpet
Creeper, Japanese Honeysuckle, Purple Loosestrife, Bee Balm,
Jewelweed, Jimsonweed, Elderberry, milkweeds, Evening
Primrose, Black Locust, and thistles. The insects they eat are
mostly flies, bees, ants, and beetles. These birds will also
eat sap
from trees and juices from fruits. Copyright, Gregory J.
Scott & Ralph W. Scott
Copyright, R. W. Scott, Birds in Flight
Copyright 2000, Ann Cook