- Author: Martha White
Enjoying hummingbirds zipping around my garden is one of my favorite things when I am puttering outside. I love their quickness, their happy chirps, and their beauty as the sun glistens off of their iridescent feathers. Hummingbirds occur only in the Western Hemisphere, with only about a dozen species commonly found in North America, out of the 330 species found mostly in South America. Hummingbirds get their name from the humming sound produced by their rapidly beating wings, as fast as 80 times per second. They can stop short in midair, hover motionless, and even fly backwards (the only bird that can fly backwards)!
The hummingbirds that I have been able to possibly identify in my garden are the species Calypte anna, or “Anna's hummingbirds”. Their natural breeding ground is coastal California, but their range has greatly expanded thanks to back yard feeders, plus the planting of exotic flowering plants. The male is about three inches in length, with a long, thin beak, a rose-colored crown and chest, and metallic green body. The female is a bit smaller, with no bright rosy feathers. The female hummingbird will build her tiny, walnut-sized nest using plant fibers, held together with spider webs. She will lay two eggs, and incubate those eggs 16-17 days before hatching.
The hummingbirds that visit my garden have become quite territorial over the hummingbird feeders I have placed. I make my own hummingbird food solution of 1 part granulated sugar to 4 parts tap water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. If you decide to make your own hummingbird food, do not use honey, molasses, or artificial sweetener. The best things we can do for hummingbirds are to provide natural plants that produce nectar and attract insects, and to have a fresh supply of water. I made many attempts to capture a focused hummingbird photo out of my window, using my smartphone camera. I have included the only picture that even came close-they move VERY fast!