What is the most common hummingbird in North Carolina?

Hummingbirds are small, colorful birds that are loved by many for their beauty and energetic personalities. North Carolina is home to several different species of hummingbirds that frequent backyards and gardens during the warmer months. But what is the most common hummingbird spotted in North Carolina?

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the most widespread and commonly seen hummingbird in North Carolina. This petite bird gets its name from the vibrant ruby red throat patch found on the adult male. Females and juveniles lack the red throat and are instead white underneath.

Some key facts about the ruby-throated hummingbird:

• Length: 2.8-3.5 inches
• Wingspan: 3.1-4.3 inches
• Weight: 2-6 grams
• Lifespan: 3-12 years
• Sexual dimorphism: Males have a red throat, females do not
• Nesting: Female builds a compact cup nest out of plant down, spider silk, and lichens
• Breeding: One brood per year of 2 tiny white eggs
• Migration: Summers in North Carolina but winters in Central America
• Diet: Nectar, small insects, tree sap
• Behavior: Aggressive around feeders, establishing feeding territories

The ruby-throated hummingbird is a summer resident in North Carolina, arriving in late March or early April to breed. They quickly get to work building a nest and raising a brood of one or two chicks. Males establish feeding territories around nectar sources and will aggressively chase off other hummingbirds or pollinators. By September, most ruby-throats have departed on their migration south to Central America for the winter.

Identification

Identifying the ruby-throated hummingbird is fairly straightforward. The adult male is unmistakable with its metallic emerald green back, white breast, and brilliant red throat. Females lack the red throat, making them harder to distinguish. Juveniles resemble adult females. Here are some tips for identification:

• Females and juveniles have a pale white throat and breast
• Female ruby-throats have rounded tail feathers with white tips. Some other species have forked tails.
• They are smaller than other common species like the rufous hummingbird
• Ruby-throats have a very rapid wingbeat while hovering and feeding
• Males can produce a short buzzing or squeaking sound during their courtship display flights

The ruby-throat’s small size, lack of markings on the back, and aggressive territorial behavior around feeders help distinguish it from less common species. When in doubt, taking notes of field marks or capturing a photograph can help get a definitive ID through consultation of a field guide.

Habitat and Range

The ruby-throated hummingbird lives across most of eastern North America during the summer months. Its breeding range extends from southern Canada south to the Gulf Coast, and west to the Great Plains. In winter, ruby-throats migrate to Central America or southern Mexico.

This adaptable hummingbird occupies a variety of habitats during the breeding season. They are found in gardens, parks, backyards, forests, meadows, and along wooded edges. Plant diversity, rather than a specific habitat type, is key to providing nectar, insects, and nesting materials.

In winter, ruby-throats primarily occupy tropical rainforests as well as forests along mountain slopes in Central America. The greater diversity of flowering plants in the tropics provides more food resources.

Migration

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are long-distance migrants, traveling between North America and Central America each year. Their annual migration is truly a feat of endurance for such tiny birds.

Here are some key facts about the ruby-throat migration:

• They travel between 500-2,500 miles each way
• Migrate across the Gulf of Mexico (500-600 mile nonstop flight)
• Depart North Carolina in September/October and begin arriving in February/March
• Males begin migrating first, followed by females and juveniles
• Mortality rate is 50-70% each year for adult birds
• Use a combination of fat stores and sugar from flower nectar to fuel migration

Ruby-throats fly during the day, stopping to rest and refuel each night. Cold fronts and storms can create challenging conditions for these tiny migrants. Backyard feeders help provide critical food resources during both the northward spring and southbound fall migrations through North Carolina.

Diet

Ruby-throated hummingbirds have high metabolisms and must feed frequently throughout the day to maintain their energy. They obtain most of their nutrition from drinking flower nectar and tree sap. Some favorite nectar sources include:

• Native wildflowers like cardinal flower, columbine, trumpet creeper
• Tubular garden flowers like petunias, bee balm, nasturtiums
• Backyard hummingbird feeders – 1 part sugar: 4 parts water ratio
• Native plants like red buckeye, trumpet creeper, mimosa

Ruby-throats also eat small spiders and insects, an important source of protein, calories, and nutrients. They may hawk flying insects, pick crawling bugs off leaves and branches, or steal prey caught in spiderwebs.

Behavior and Lifestyle

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are solitary and territorial. Males establish breeding and feeding territories, aggressively chasing other males as well as females. They perform aerial courtship displays, flying in loops and dive displays to impress females.

Female ruby-throats build a nest on their own and raise the chicks without assistance from the male. They are protective mothers, chasing off any threats. But once the chicks fledge, both parents leave the young to fend for themselves.

Hummingbirds are incredibly energetic, with a wingbeat rate of up to 60 beats per second. Their wings rotate in a figure 8 pattern that allows them to hover effortlessly while feeding. They can fly forwards, backwards, sideways, even upside-down!

At night, ruby-throats enter a torpid state where their metabolic rate and body temperature drops. This helps conserve energy when food sources are unavailable.

Interactions with Humans

The ruby-throated hummingbird’s range has expanded northward in recent decades, a trend attributed in part to backyard feeding. More people are putting out feeders and landscaping with nectar flowers, providing the small birds with plentiful food resources and nesting habitat.

This species is the only breeding hummingbird in eastern North America, making it one of the most popular backyard birds. Its beauty, aerial skills, and fiery personality around feeders make it a favorite to observe. Gardeners also welcome hummingbirds as pollinators of flowers, vegetables, and herbs.

Some ways to attract ruby-throats to your yard include:

• Planting tubular flowers and nectar plants they favor
• Putting up feeders with a nectar solution of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water
• Providing small water features for bathing and drinking
• Letting vegetation grow a bit wild to provide nesting materials and perches

The population of ruby-throated hummingbirds is considered stable overall. But threats on their migration and wintering grounds include habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, collisions, and window strikes. Preserving stopover habitats and reducing threats helps ensure the future of these long-distance migrants.

Fun Facts

• Ruby-throats can beat their wings 200 times per second!
• They have incredibly fast heart rates of over 500 beats per minute while active.
• Their wings are able to rotate in a full circle which allows for specialized flying skills.
• They build tiny nests about the size of a walnut on tree branches.
• Hummingbirds have the lowest parasite load of all birds.
• They can see ultraviolet light which helps them locate nectar.
• Ruby-throats get aggressive around feeders, able to chase off larger birds.
• They can remember favorite nectar sources from year to year.
• Their eggs are only the size of a pea.

Conclusion

The ruby-throated hummingbird earns its title as the most common and beloved hummingbird in North Carolina. This tiny dynamo migrates huge distances each year to breed across the eastern U.S. and into Canada. Fast flying skills, an energetic personality, and an affinity for backyard feeders have made the “ruby-throat” a popular favorite. Providing habitat and stopping dangers like buildings and pesticides are key to ensuring this migratory bird continues to return each spring.