Hummers

It sounds like a giant insect buzzing above your head. A flash of green and red and you spot the male hummingbird zooming after another hummingbird. One of the most amazing birds, hummingbirds can fly not only forward and down, but they can move up and backwards. When flying forward, they can flap their wings 80 times in a second. (Try flapping your arms as fast as you can for one minute - how did you do?)

Males have a red throat; the females' throats are white like their bellies. Sometimes, it's hard to spot the red throat, but wait a second and when the bird turns, you'll spot the iridescence.


Is this hummingbird male or female?

This time of year, more hummingbirds may turn up at your feeders since some from up north have begun migrating. Hummers are territorial, so you may notice one coming to your feeder only to be chased away by another. Listen carefully - you can hear the buzzing of their wings and the chittering noises they make as they scold one another.

In the Twin Cities, you can keep your feeders out until about mid-October. The migrating hummingbirds are hungry and there aren't too many blooming flowers left at that time. Mix one part sugar to four parts water to make your own nectar. Don't color the nectar - the birds don't need it. The feeders usually have red on them and that will attract the hummingbirds.

Feed the birds and enjoy the antics of those amazing hummingbirds!