Hummingbird Facts

As most of you may know, our children have adopted a hummingbird nest. You may the first video in a series here: http://vimeo.com/85173126

Frequently Asked Questions About Hummingbirds

Q: When is hummingbird season?
A: This depends on where you are located. In North America, hummingbirds can start to arrive starting as early as February and end as late as October. In the southern portions of the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America, hummingbirds live all year long. The best way to find out what your hummingbird season is, start writing down the first and last times you see a hummingbird every year in a journal. You will be able to see a pattern after a couple of years. (See also the Migration section of this website.)

Q: Where do hummingbirds go in the winter?
A: Hummingbirds that migrate will go anywhere from the southern United States to Mexico, Panama, and the Yucatan Peninsula for the winter.

Q: Where do hummingbirds live?
A: Hummingbirds live in the Americas as far north as Alaska and as far south as Chile.

Q: How fast do hummingbird's wings beat per second?
A: Hummingbird's wings can beat at about 70 times per second in normal fight and about 200 times per second during a high speed dive.

Q: How fast does a hummingbird fly?
A: A hummingbird flies at an average speed of 25-30 miles per hour and can do a fast dive at up to 60 miles per hour.

Q: Do cheetahs run faster than hummingbirds fly?
A: Yes. A cheetah will run at about 70 miles per hour and a hummingbird flies at about 25-30 miles per hour. However, you could probably consider a hummingbird to be the cheetah in the bird kingdom.

Q: Do hummingbirds damage flowers?
A: No. Flowers love hummingbirds. Flowers need hummingbirds to help with pollination. Plants will position their flowers outward so the hummingbirds can easily reach them.

Q: Do hummingbirds reuse their nest?
A: Hummingbirds can reuse their nest if the nest survives the winter months. Do not try to save a nest for a hummingbird since illegal in the United States and many other countries.

Q: How much nectar does a hummingbird consume in a day?
A: A hummingbird can consume anywhere between half (1/2) to eight (8) times their body weight in one day.

Q: Do hummingbirds eat termites?
A: Not really. Termites have a tough exoskeleton that hummingbirds don't like to have to deal with unless they have to. Hummingbirds prefer softer insects. (See the Bugs section of this website.)

Q: What is a hummingbird's lifecycle?
A: A hummingbird is born from an egg that is the size of a very small pea. They will spend about three weeks in the nest. (See also the Baby section of this website.) When they are old enough, they will fly away and not return to the nest. If they can survive the first year of life, they will live for approximately 5 years.

Q: What do hummingbirds eat?
A: Hummingbirds drink nectar from hummingbird feeders and flowers. They eat small soft insects and bugs.

Q: When do hummingbirds nest?
A: In North America, hummingbirds will nest in the spring and early summer. In South and Central America, hummingbird will nest in both the summer and the winter (North American time). (See the Baby section of this website.)

Q: I found a banded hummingbird, what should I do?
A: f you recover a banded Hummingbird, please report the band number to the Bird Banding Lab at

1-800-327-BAND.
Q: When should I take down my hummingbird feeders so that the hummingbirds can migrate?
A: There is nothing that will stop a hummingbird from migrating. Keep the feeders up until you have not seen any for 2 full weeks. This will help straggling hummingbirds in their long journey. If at all possible, keep one feeder up all year long providing the temperatures do not drop below freezing at night. Frozen nectar can damage the hummingbird feeder.

Q: How often should I change the nectar?
A: The nectar should be changed every three days or more often as needed depending on your environment and weather.

Q: Why do hummingbird appear sometimes and not others?
A: There are many reasons why hummingbirds do things and go places, and unfortunately they don't always tell us why. It could be anything from area construction disturbing their peace to the neighbor on the next block over becoming the latest hangout. Just keep the feeder out and enjoy them while you can.

Q: How do I get rid of bees and ants at my feeder?

A: There are many suggestions and it's mostly trial and error on which one will work for you. Check out the Uninvited Guests section of the website and see what would work for your particular situation

These facts are from www.WorldOfHummingbirds.com

"There is nothing right or wrong which belief plus burning desire cannot make real."
-Napoleon Hill