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Archilochus colubris is the scientific name for our Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Colubris is based on the indigenous South American name for hummingbird – “colubri.”
Ruby-throats are present in Carver County from May through September. They migrate from/to Central America. Males arrive here and leave earlier than females. Their northward path is along the Texas coast or directly 600 miles across the Gulf. When our plants, bushes and trees aren’t blooming, hummingbirds can drink sugary sap from sapsucker holes.
Tubular flowers are major sources for nectar that is picked up by a long, extended tongue. In return, hummingbirds pollinate the flowers.
Protein is gained by eating small insects, spiders, gnats, fruit flies and aphids. Humans can supply feeders with a sugar-water solution – 1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 2 cups water. No coloring of the water is needed. The water should be changed when the liquid gets cloudy, or every two or three days, especially when warm temperatures may form toxins.
All hummingbirds are territorial and protect their food sources from every other creature, including larger birds. They will dive at others – flaring their tails and poking at them with their bills. They can also generate a series of rapid chips and squeaks. Bright colors and outdoor hanging art can attract hummingbirds.
Their wings beat at 55 (hover) to 75 (straight flight) times per second. Their wings rotate at the shoulder joint, so flight lift is generated on both forward and backward movements. This allows them to hover, fly straight up and down, and marvel us earthbound humans. Hummingbirds’ feet can grip branches, but their legs are not capable of letting them walk on the ground.
A typical Ruby-throat will weigh 4 grams (0.14 ounces). When preparing for migration, they can gain more weight. The smallest bird in Minnesota, they are 3-4 inches long, with wings 4 to 4 1/2” wide. Its back and crown are metallic green.
Males have a bright red throat that appears black when not lit by the sun or flashed as a display. Females will usually have white throats and bellies. The three outer tail feathers of females will have white tips. In August and September, young males may have dark or red spots on their throats.
Both sexes’ wing beats generate a hum, and this provides the basis for the bird’s name. Males provide early morning single-pitch “chips.” They will attract a mate by flying a U-shaped pattern starting about 50 feet up, then zoom down to the bottom of the path, then back up to the top.
After mating, the males then have no contact with females, except to fight over food. They don’t participate in raising their young.
The Ruby-throat’s nest is the size of walnut, made of lichens, moss, parts of plants and spider webs. Both sexes are known to return to the same area during the next breeding season. The female Incubates two eggs for 12-14 days. The young fledge three weeks later. After that, their fledgling status will be difficult to identify because they mostly look like female adults.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds attract our attention like no other species. Finding them in gardens or while out in the woods is a treat. Hearing the hum of their wings as they fly near us provides a moment of connection that makes it a special time to appreciate the world around us.
For more information:
- The Sibley Guide to Birds, David Allen Sibley
- Reader’s Digest Book of North American Birds
- Birds of Minnesota, Robert B. Janssen
- Breeding Birds of Minnesota, Pfannmuller, Niemi and Green
- The Audubon Society’s Encyclopedia of North American Birds, John K. Terres
- Birds of the World, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Online: All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology LINK
- Online: Minnesota Seasons – Exploring Nature in Minnesota LINK
- Online: Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas
