News
Hummingbird Myths and Facts
Hummingbird Myths and Facts By Jon Friedman Hummingbirds, like bats and owls, have been surrounded with myths, legends, misinformation and simply untrue “facts”. Many of these old wives tales and fallacies concerning hummingbirds have been circulating for so many years that many folks who have heard them come to accept these myths as truths. We’ll examine some of the most popular myths and untangle some of the truths to set the record straight regarding hummingbirds. Tongues – One of the most commonly heard myths is that hummingbirds have tongues that, like straws, can suck up their liquid nectar. This is...
Raising Baby Hummingbirds
RAISING BABY HUMMINGBIRDS Female Hummingbirds are some of the most capable single moms in nature. Usually she will not accept the amorous attention of any male until she builds her nest by herself. The males role in the rearing of the young is limited to fertilization. After that occurs, she alone lays and incubates the eggs and cares for the fledglings. While we might be inclined to think poorly of the male for this seemingly neglectful behavior, think of the danger of having a blinking iridescent male leading the way to the vulnerable nest. Nature knows best. Before any male...
Dangers Hummingbirds Face
DANGERS HUMMINGBIRDS FACE By Jon & Shani Friedman Those of us who love hummingbirds do so for many reasons. Their appeal is irresistible. We marvel at their magnificent iridescent coloration, their unique flying abilities, their courtship and mating displays, the female's excellent parenting skills, and their curiosity and fearlessness of humans. We are all familiar with the saying "survival of the fittest," but we seldom think that hummingbirds have predators and other dangers that they must face. Very few of us have ever encountered a situation in nature that was life threatening to hummingbirds, but each and every day of...
Hummingbird Antics
BACKYARD HUMMINGBIRD ANTICS By Shani Friedman Well, the heat has finally relaxed its iron grip on the Southwest. Fall is here, bringing us cool nights and warm, but not blazing hot, days. Walking the dogs can happen later in the day, not at the crack of a summer’s dawn. Night falls earlier. Moreover, fall migration is on. Beautiful Anna’s, Costa’s and Rufous Hummingbirds attend our hummingbird feeders. Jon thinks he saw a tiny Calliope recently, but it moved on and has not been seen since. This morning I walked out on the back patio with my coffee. The crisp air...
Greetings to our Customers October
GREETINGS TO OUR CUSTOMERS - OCTOBER 2016 Happy Autumn, everyone! We hope you’ve been enjoying Fall migration here in Southern Arizona! We have been having a great time birding, seeing different birds at our feeders, and bat watching. Arizona is home to over 28 species of bats. Although some people are afraid of bats, they are truly important members of our ecosystem. By eating incredible amounts of insects they are natural pest control, slowing down insect – spread human diseases, and assist farmers by eating insects that prey on crops. If you’ve been watching your hummingbird feeders go empty overnight...