Hummingbirds, migration, drought, and the importance of feeding hummingbirds in autumn.

Best Hummingbird Nectar Recipe: 1 cup of white cane sugar dissolved in 4 cups water.

This is an important time of year for feeding hummingbirds -- a time that people don't always think about since the summer is coming to an end. With the southern migration of hummingbirds starting, it is very important to have feeders ready with lots of fresh nectar for them to load up on. It not only helps them build up their body weight for their long journey back to their winter homes (the ruby-throated travels all the way back to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico -- the ultimate snowbird!), it also proves that you will be a dependable feeding station for them next year when they come back North. Hummingbirds come back to the same gardens each year, so why not show them now that you are the best place to spend the summer!

Keep the nectar fresh -- even if you don't see a lot of hummingbirds feeding. The fresher the nectar, the longer they will stay and feed and the more likely they are to come back to you next year. (I recommend changing your nectar every 3-4 days in warm weather...well, in any type of weather, this is really the ideal. One week max in cooler weather.

Lastly, one other comment. Since it has been incredibly dry in some areas this summer, there have not been as many flowers in bloom this year to supply nectar for hummingbirds. Feeders are supplying most of the available nectar in some areas. So, please keep your feeders full of FRESH nectar. They will remember you next year for it!

Below is video of another PARASOL hummingbird feeder this week. They are hungry!

Hamlet the Hummingbird

To be, or not to be--that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep--
No more--and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep--
To sleep--perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.

Shakespeare may seem a little heavy-handed, but Hamlet's most famous soliloquy seems to me the perfect description of hummingbirds' sleep - the phenomenal state of torpor.

First, there are a couple physical traits of hummers that you'll need to know to understand the evolutionary brilliance of torpor.

1. Hummingbirds have enormously demanding metabolisms - they must eat from two to three times their body weights every day! Imagine the US deficit counter ticking away our trillions of dollars of debt and this would be similar to a hummingbird's life calorie counter.

2. Hummingbirds don't have the downy feathers common in most other larger birds. Their lack of insulation means hummers lose a large amount of their body heat, needlessly sapping away energy necessary for survival.

To compensate for these challenges, hummingbirds have evolved a special sleep state called torpor, lowering their metabolic rate by as much as 95%! Essentially hummers become hypothermic when they sleep, lowering their internal thermostat to lower their energy consumption. Torpid hummingbirds use 50 times less energy than when they are awake.

When hummingbirds are torpid their body temperature drops so dramatically that for all intents and purposes they appear death-like. Heart rate slows, breathing is shallow, hummers nest motionless like they are frozen in time. Waking up from torpor takes almost a half hour as the hummer slowly starts revving up its engine for another day of foraging. The bird begins to shiver as its heart starts pumping faster, the heat generated by its small vibrating body starting to warm it up.

Through torpor hummingbirds find "what dreams may come" and make it through cold nights to "shuffle off this mortal coil".

"I am the greatest..."

Look at the determination and fire in this little guy's eyes... the Rufous hummingbird is like a little Muhammad Ali. Not nearly a heavy-weight (Rufous hummers weigh only about 2-3 grams for males, 4-5 grams for females) these tiny tykes can rope-a-dope any other hummer.
Rufous hummingbirds are notoriously nectar-hogs, chasing off much larger hummingbirds from feeders and defending their territory with absolute confidence. You gotta love 'em. They got gumption!
Rufous hummingbirds may just be my favorite species, they have spirit to spare and are a marvel to watch in action! Their name comes from their coloring, rufous means reddish. Most of them have rusty red on their backs and a bright red-yellow iridescent gorget (throat), although there are Rufous that are green-backed too. In sunlight they look like streaks of copper as they fly by - they are gorgeous!
The Rufous migrates from Mexico all the way into Alaska, usually along mountain ranges like the Sierra Madres and Rocky Mountains. By body size, the Rufous has the longest migration of any bird in the world - out traveling larger birds almost 150% more! Since hummingbirds are such small creatures they will break their migration into segments to refill on much needed nectar and insects to make the great distances. This is great for us Rufous fans because it offers the chance to see these out-fighters duke it out at our feeders!
Because the Rufous likes plants usually found at higher mountain elevations and cooler temps the most densely populated area of their northern migration is in the Pacific Northwest. Folks in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver are most familiar with the red-feathered Rufous hummers. Their trip to the Last Frontier often means Rufous will be observed for four to eight weeks this time of year.

The race is on!

Hummingbird migration is about to hit the United States, so make sure to get your hummingbird feeders out and ready for the hungry travelers!

Hummingbirds are indigenous to the Americas (although they are amazing aviators the oceans are too vast to make it into Asia or Europe and Africa). There are a total of 16 species of hummers in the U.S., some in the western states will winter in Arizona and Southern California. Species that stay in the southwest include: Anna, Costa's, and Allen's hummingbirds. The other 13 species all migrate through our country; 12 on the western side of the Mississippi River and 1 very special bird on the eastern side of the Mississippi River.

One of the most spectacular migrations in the world, the Ruby-throated hummingbirds make their way across the Gulf of Mexico from South America into and through the United States and Canada.

Every Spring, urged on by instinct, thousands upon thousands of Ruby-throated hummingbirds start appearing in the Gulf States and fill into the mid-Atlantic and mid-western areas of the U.S. They start to be seen in eastern Texas and southern Florida in February (the earliest visitors were seen February 24th last year!)

Here's a small picture of the Ruby-throated hummingbirds migration pattern from 2008 (for a full view visit http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html). On the map you'll be able to locate the first sitings of hummingbirds in your state - thanks to over 5,000 other hummingbird enthusiasts' like you!

All Creatures Small and Smaller

When it comes to hummingbirds the old saying "good things come in small packages" perfectly describes the diminutive birds' appeal. Hummingbird size is one of the most amazing qualities of the species, as it's hard to imagine so much ability coming from such a small aviator.

I remember going on school field trips to the zoo and getting to see hummingbird eggs (about the size of my pinkie fingernail) and thinking "they're so teeny!" Learning from the zoologist about their flying backwards, "drinking" from flowers, and of course their stunning plumage it was obvious I was going to love these birds always.

When you think of a hummingbird the picture that probably pops in your head is the Ruby-throated hummingbird. It's the archetypal image, the hummingbird you'll see on most t-shirts, mugs, postage stamps, greeting cards, you name it. The Ruby Throat is the most recognized hummer, especially since for most the U.S. (every state east of the Mississippi River) it is the only hummingbird you'll see flying around.

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is one of sixteen species that breed and live/migrate in the United States, but its migration keeps them on the eastern side of The States. If you live on the western side, there are so many other hummers to acquaint yourself with - and we'll start introducing you to these not-so-known wonders! Watch this blog for more info!

Of course outside the U.S. there are even more spectacular species, especially in South America, all which have mind-boggling characteristics. Here are some more exotic species and some cool fast facts:

• The Bee Hummingbird (the smallest BIRD in the world - not just hummingbirds) lives in Cuba and is literally the size of a bumblebee. Small!


• The Giant Hummingbird lives in South America and can reach up to 8 inches in size. That's smaller than most songbirds but a true Giant amongst hummers!


• The Marvellous Spatuletail from Peru (as seen in the John Gould illustration below) only has four tail feathers. Males have two feathers that swoop to bright violet medallion ends, and they can move these feathers independently!

A moth in hummingbird's clothing

Nature is full of trickery. There are plants that look like animals, animals that look like plants, and a million different camouflages and patterns to keep predators away. The great impostor in the hummingbird world is the hummingbird moth (also called bee months in Europe where hummingbirds do not live).

If you live in the United States and are amazed to see the tiniest hummingbird in your garden, chances are you're really seeing the hummingbird moth. Often mis-sited as the Bee Hummingbird (the world's smallest bird - found in Cuba only), the hummingbird moth has the look and behaviour to fool the sharpest eye into thinking it's a miniature hummingbird.


One of the tricks of the hummingbird moth, unlike other moths, is that it thrives and feeds in daylight. They live on nectar, similar to hummingbirds, and will hover over the same flowers hummers like (honeysuckle, trumpet vine, lilac, bee balm, etc). They extract the nectar through their proboscis, which combined with their body length and coloring, is easily confused as a beak.

Hummingbird moths have similar colors in their bodies as hummingbirds, but their pattern differences are the dead-giveaway. Moths like the Clearwing Hummingbird Moth (pictured above) have red/brown bands across their abdomens, and there are tufts of hair that look feather like. Hummingbirds don't have stripes like these, instead their color is typically concentrated on their throat, wings, sometimes with solid iridescent color on their back.

Hummingbirds are also much more skittish than their aping moths. Chances are you'll be able to sneak up on a moth but not a true hummer.

Although the idea of "baby" or Bee hummingbirds in your garden maybe exciting, if you do see a hummingbird moth instead don't be disheartened. They are truly fascinating creatures and still fun to watch flitting from flower to flower. And the fact that you're attracting another nectar-loving creature to your yard is a positive! Maybe one morning you'll be happily surprised by a real hummer visit.

BANG #2 - bugging out.

"Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home

Your house is on fire and your children are gone

All except one, and that's Little Anne

For she has crept under the warming pan."

Quite possibly the most charming insects ever - the ladybug can bring new life to a dying garden.

Last year I was plagued with aphids in my garden. I had bought two burning bushes for my front yard the fall before, excited to have the bright red leaves bring drama and beauty to my yard the next year. Unfortunately I miss interpreted an aphid infestion in Spring last year and my poor burning bushes paid the price.

By June the leaves were getting eaten away, and nearby roses started showing signs of unwelcome munchers too. When all the trees in my neighborhood were turning fiery autumn colors my burning bushes looked like they were burnt. Most the leaves were gone, and the sad spikes of the bushes arms were bare and lonely. It was the saddest sight.

So this year, as part of my BANG initiative (Be A Natural Gardener), I'm bringing in reinforcements! Ladybugs may be portrayed as sweet English ladies in cartoons (I always picture the one from "James and the Giant Peach"), but trust me they are lethal aphid killers! And as a natural and eco-friendly option to pesticide, ladybugs are a welcome addition to my garden plan.

As an extra bonus, I grew up believing that when a ladybug lands on you it'll bring you good luck. Bringing a batch of ladybugs into your garden will definitely up the odds for a lucky 2009!

Start the year off with a BANG!

I've decided to put my money where my mouth is this year and help my little corner of the planet thrive. This is the year I'm going to Be A Natural Gardener.

BANG - is a new idea I've had, yet an old idea to many conservationists. Being a Natural Gardener is recycling, reusing, reducing, reimagining, recreating. It's using ordinary objects in extraordinary ways and rethinking the part you play in the environment around you. It can be personal & political, local & global, absolutely practical & totally crazy. It's the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) principle for your backyard.

I can't wait to start BANGing out the old and unnecessary in my life, and as Lau-tzu says "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

So here's BANG Step 1.

START COLLECTING RAINFALL.

My best friend started using a rain barrel last year, and the water she's saved for watering her backyard garden has been incredible! During a heavy rain her barrel would fill up in just minutes, as the rain falling on the entire area of her roof would get funneled down drains and downspouts. Only about 1/4 inch of rainfall can be collected to a little over 200 gallons of water! Not too shabby! Bonus: rain water is soft water. Soft water is the best for plants, as the oxygen levels are better and there's no chlorine or other nasty chemicals necessary in tap/drinking water. For an HGTV how-to check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGFDlkJOdaM

In this time of economic topsy-turvy it's only fitting to really consider what you're putting your time/money/energy into and if it's paying off in the fullest way environmentally, morally, ethically, and especially FINANCIALLY. It's never been trendier to be a spendthrift (Suze Orman tells me this all the time) so I'm cutting back and cutting out the things that are wasting my resources.

If you want to try to BANG, I lend you my full support. Check back here for more ideas on how to BANG, and use BANG as a special savings code (1/2 off shipping) on your next SweetBeak.com order!