Hummingbird feeders come in a variety of colors, but red is by far the most common. There are a few reasons why red is the color of choice for hummingbird feeders:
Red Attracts Hummingbirds
Research has shown that hummingbirds are particularly attracted to the color red. Their eyes are sensitive to the red part of the color spectrum, so the bright red of a feeder will catch their attention from a distance. Red flowers that hummingbirds pollinate in nature, like cardinal flowers and trumpet vines, have likely evolved their red color to attract hummingbirds.
Nectar is Often Red
The nectar inside many hummingbird flowers is red or orange in color. The pigments in the nectar, called anthocyanins, give it this reddish hue. Since hummingbirds are used to finding nectar in red flowers, they likely associate the color red with a food source.
Red Stands Out
A bright red feeder is easy for hummingbirds to see against green foliage. Red is eye-catching and visible from far away, which helps attract passing hummingbirds. A red feeder against green trees or bushes makes for high visual contrast.
Warning Color in Nature
In the natural world, red, orange and yellow often serve as “warning colors.” Animals like ladybugs, poison dart frogs, coral snakes and monarch butterflies use red to signal that they are toxic or unpalatable to predators. Hummingbirds don’t pose a danger, but the red feeder suggests there may be nectar inside, like the red warning colors that advertise danger in other species.
Tradition
Hummingbird feeders have been traditionally made in red for decades, so manufacturers continue to use the tried-and-true red color. Many people expect hummingbird feeders to be red, so there is little reason for manufacturers to change colors when red has proven effective.
Conclusion
In summary, red is the color of choice for hummingbird feeders because it attracts hummingbirds, mimics red nectar, stands out visually, serves as a warning color and follows tradition. Hummingbirds have an affinity for the color red, so a scarlet feeder is the best way to catch their attention and bring them in close. Next time you see a bright red hummingbird feeder, you’ll know there are good reasons behind the color choice!
Hummingbird Species and Range
There are over 300 species of hummingbirds found throughout the Americas. Here is a table of some common hummingbird species and their geographic range:
| Species | Range |
|---|---|
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Eastern North America |
| Rufous Hummingbird | Pacific Northwest |
| Allen’s Hummingbird | California |
| Anna’s Hummingbird | Western North America |
| Costa’s Hummingbird | Southwestern U.S. and Mexico |
| Broad-billed Hummingbird | Mexico and Southwestern U.S. |
Hummingbirds are found only in the Americas, with the greatest diversity in South America. More than half of all hummingbird species occur in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Due to their small size, colorful plumage and fascinating behavior, hummingbirds have captivated people for centuries.
Hummingbird Diet and Feeding Behavior
Hummingbirds subsist almost entirely on nectar from flowers. Here is an overview of hummingbird diet and feeding behavior:
Nectar
Hummingbirds sip nutrient-rich nectar from flowering plants using their specialized long bills and tongues. The nectar provides necessary sugars for energy. Flowers adapted for hummingbird pollination produce large amounts of dilute nectars.
Insects and Spiders
Hummingbirds also consume small insects and spiders to obtain essential amino acids and fat. Preferred prey includes fruit flies, aphids, gnats and mosquitoes. They may pluck insects out of spider webs as well.
Feeders
Backyard hummingbird feeders allow people to supplement natural nectar sources. Feeders are filled with a solution of refined white sugar mixed with water. Commercial mixes often include red food coloring.
Feeding Behavior
Hummingbirds can visit hundreds of flowers per day, licking nectar with their long tongues up to 13 times per second. They are very territorial around feeders and aggressively chase away intruders. To avoid starvation, hummingbirds go into torpor at night to conserve energy.
Sugar Preferences
Research indicates hummingbirds prefer nectar solutions between 20-30% sugar concentrations, and they reject solutions less than 10% sugar. The optimal mix for feeders is 1 part table sugar to 4 parts water.
Conclusion
In summary, hummingbirds are specialized nectar-feeding birds with a diet consisting mainly of flower nectar and small insects. Their feeding behaviors reveal amazing adaptations to access nutrient-rich floral nectar. Backyard hummingbird feeders provide essential supplementary energy.
Hummingbird Migration
Many hummingbird species migrate long distances. Here are key facts about hummingbird migration:
Seasonal Migrations
Hummingbirds in temperate regions migrate every spring and fall to follow flower bloom and avoid harsh winters. Ruby-throated hummingbirds travel from Central America up to eastern North America.
Extreme Distances
Considering their tiny size, hummingbirds make some of the most extreme migrations in the animal kingdom. For example, ruby-throated hummingbirds fly 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico.
Navigation
Hummingbirds appear to navigate using the sun’s position and polarization patterns in the sky. They can compensate for wind drift and may also sense the Earth’s magnetic field.
Fat Storage
Before migration, hummingbirds enter hyperphagia and nearly double their weight by storing fat for energy. This allows them to fly long distances without stopping to feed.
Resting and Refueling
During migration, hummingbirds rest and refuel in various stopover sites, often backyard feeders. They renew fat reserves by entering torpor at night.
Climate Change Impacts
Warming climates may cause flowers to bloom earlier, disrupting timing between hummingbird migration and nectar availability. More hummingbirds now overwinter in the southern U.S.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hummingbird migration is a remarkable feat of endurance for a bird that fits in the palm of your hand. Their navigational skills and physiological adaptations allow hummingbirds to make arduous seasonal journeys tracking flower resources.
The Hummingbird’s Role as Pollinator
With their specialized body adaptations, hummingbirds serve as important pollinators for many plant species:
Flower Coevolution
Many flowering plants have evolved with hummingbird pollination, developing traits like red tubular flowers with dilute nectar. In turn, hummingbirds evolved long bills and tongues to access the nectar.
Energy Exchange
The plants provide sucrose-rich nectar to fuel the hovering birds. In exchange, hummingbirds transfer pollen between flowers as they feed, enabling fertilization and reproduction.
Precision Flying
Hummingbirds can precisely hover and fly backwards, allowing them to repeatedly visit specific flowers. This floral fidelity improves pollination.
Specialized Feeding
Hummingbirds use capillary action to lick nectar, while their head shape and bill length match the flower shape for efficient feeding.
High Metabolism
A hummingbird’s rapid metabolism requires frequent feeding. By moving pollen with each feeding visit, they pollinate flowers more frequently than other animals.
Native Plant Pollination
Hummingbirds serve as major pollinators for native plant species such as cardinal flowers, bee balm, trumpet creeper vine and columbine.
Conclusion
In summary, hummingbirds play a vital ecological role as pollinators of native plants they coevolved with. Their unique adaptations precisely fit them to the flowers they fertilize.
Fun Facts About Hummingbirds
Here are some fascinating facts about these captivating tiny birds:
Smallest Bird
The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird species at just 2 inches long and 2 grams in weight.
High Heart Rate
A hummingbird’s heart can beat up to 1,260 times per minute and they take an estimated 250 breaths per minute.
Only in Americas
Hummingbirds naturally occur only in the Americas, from Alaska to Chile.
Longest Wings
The giant hummingbird has the longest wing measurements of any hummingbird species at 5.9 inches.
Iridescent Colors
Hummingbird colors come from iridescent feather structures, not pigments. When light hits them, the feathers reflect a metallic sheen.
Swift Speeds
Hummingbirds can fly forward at speeds over 30 mph and dive at speeds over 60 mph.
Extreme Feeding
To support their metabolism, hummingbirds may visit 1,000 flowers per day and drink up to twice their body weight in nectar.
UV Color Vision
Hummingbirds see into the near ultraviolet spectrum, allowing them to spot nectar guides on flowers.
Aggressive Defense
Hummingbirds aggressively defend flower and feeder territory. They may dive bomb and chatter at intruders.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hummingbirds are incredibly captivating creatures. Their tiny size belies an advanced physiology tailored to hovering flight and nectar feeding.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions about Hummingbirds
How do hummingbirds hover?
Hummingbirds can hover by rapidly flapping their wings in a figure-8 pattern and rotating their wings at the shoulder to provide lift on both the downstroke and upstroke. They also have specialized shoulder and flight muscle adaptations that allow hovering.
Do hummingbirds sleep?
Yes, hummingbirds do sleep. They enter a hibernation-like state called torpor at night to conserve energy. Their metabolism and body temperature drops dramatically during torpor.
Do hummingbirds migrate?
Many hummingbird species migrate, making remarkably long seasonal movements to follow food sources and suitable habitats. Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate from Panama to Alaska.
Do hummingbirds have good memories?
Research suggests hummingbirds have excellent short term memory and spatial memory skills. They can remember flower locations and feeding schedules to precisely time their visits.
What do baby hummingbirds eat?
Baby hummingbirds drink sugar-rich regurgitated “crop milk” from their mothers for the first 2-3 weeks after hatching. After fledging from the nest, they begin feeding on nectar and insects.
How long do hummingbirds live?
In the wild, most hummingbirds have relatively short lives of 3-5 years. The longest recorded lifespan for a wild hummingbird was over 12 years for a broad-tailed hummingbird.
Conclusion
Those are some common FAQs about hummingbirds! Their tiny size, dazzling colors, and remarkable behaviors continue to fascinate people interested in nature and birding.
