Nature Net News
Your portal for nature tips
& tricks for exploring nature with your kids
July 2010
Hummingbirds
"A flash of harmless lightning,
A
mist of rainbow dyes,
The burnished sunbeams brightening
From flower
to flower he flies. "
John Banister Tabb
Dear Reader, We all know these fast-paced whizzing wonders of the bird world. How many times have you gazed in wonder at a hummingbird at a feeder or flower only for it to notice you and go zooming off to your despair? Well in this issue of Nature Net News you can learn all about hummingbirds and how to attract them. Good luck reading! We would also like to thank Abigail and Sam Alfano for taking and letting us use the above picture. Enjoy! Kathe & Sarah |
A group is called a charm of hummingbirds.
The most common hummingbird found in Wisconsin is the Ruby Throated Hummingbird.
A typical Ruby Throated Hummingbird has 940 feathers.
What to Do This Month:
Want to learn more about attracting hummers? Check out Hummingbirds.net for many ideas and helpful tips!
Go to Olbrich Gardens to see a multitude of colorful flowers that may attract hummingbirds while you're there!
Also go see Bloomin' Butterflies at Olbrich Gardens, if you haven't found any hummingbirds.
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Hummingbirds are flighty creatures!
Hummingbirds are always on the go, so don't be surprised if you move while watching one and it zips away. However, hummingbirds can become accustomed to human company and have even been known to drink sugar water from people's hands, but it takes patience.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
Fancies of Flight
The Ruby Throated Hummingbird's wings beat about 53 times a second. This comes with a cost though, because of their rapid wing beats, an adult Ruby Throated Hummingbird has to eat twice its bodyweight every day in order to survive! The Ruby throated Hummingbird can hover, fly backwards, and fly upside-down! However, their legs are short and designed for perching on branches, so they cannot walk or hop around like other birds.
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Stroll through 16 acres of outdoor display gardens including the Rose Garden, Thai Pavilion and Garden, Sunken Garden, and Perennial Garden.
You might even see a hummingbird visiting the flowers!
Enjoy a tropical paradise in Olbrich's Bolz Conservatory, a glass pyramid filled with exotic plants and flowers, small birds, a rushing waterfall, and fragrant orchids.
Outdoor Gardens are open daily and are free to all. Admission to the Bolz Conservatory is $1 per person and free to all on Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to noon.
Make a tasty treat for your hummingbird friends!
What you need: 4 parts water, 1 part white granulated
sugar, clean hummingbird feeder*.
1. Bring water to boil in small saucepot.
2. Take off heat and mix sugar until dissolved.
3. Allow mixture to cool.
4. Once nectar reaches room temperature, add to your clean hummingbird feeder*.
5. Replace nectar every three to four days and clean feeder*. Spoiled nectar looks cloudy. Unused nectar can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.
6. Food coloring or dyes should not be added to mixture--they're not healthy for hummingbirds. Neither should honey be substituted for sugar. Honey attracts bees and can grow black fungus that will cause a fatal liver and tongue disease in hummingbirds.
* Instructions To Wash
Feeder. DO NOT USE SOAP. Instead, use hot tap water and a brush. Make
sure there is no black mold. This mold is, as mentioned above,
deadly to hummingbirds. If there is mold, soak in a mixture of 1/4
cup bleach and 1 gallon water for 1 hour. It is essential to wash in between every
refilling. At least once a month, allow your feeder to soak in
full-strength white vinegar for an hour before cleaning.
)
Suggested Reading:
"A Dazzle of Hummingbirds" by Bruce Berger (all
ages)
"The Complete Book of Hummingbirds" by Tony Tilford (parents with children
4+)
"It's a Hummingbird's Life" by Irene Kelly (4-8)
"Welcome to the World of Hummingbirds" by Diane Swanson (4-8)
"The Legend of the Hummingbird: A Tale from Puerto Rico" by Michael Rose Ramirez (4-8)
"The Magic Hummingbird: A Hopi Folktale" by Ekkehart Malotki and Michael Lomatuway'Ma (4-8)
"The Hungry Hummingbird" by April Pulley Sayre (4-8)
"First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird's Story" by Don and Noriko Carroll (9-12)
"The Secret Life of Hummingbirds" by David Wentworth Lazaroff (9-12)
