RubyThroated Hummingbird

>> YOUR LINK HERE: ___ http://youtube.com/watch?v=jNqNWvJuEKY

This episode of Backyard Bugs with Brody is all about Hummingbirds, specifically the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Brody shares some cool facts and gets up close with these amazing creatures. • Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds are tiny with long beaks, metallic green heads, white bellies and dull green sides. The throat of males looks dark in the shade, but ruby red in the light. Their tail is black and forked. Females have a tricolored tail with green at the base, black in the middle, and white tips. • Hummingbirds have small legs with bare skin-covered feet. (Most birds have scales on their feet.) Hummingbirds can only perch and shuffle, they are unable to walk. They also have very unusual wings. The upper arm bone or humerus is short and stout, with a wrist joint midway across the wings. This joint enables hummingbirds to move their wings in a figure-eight pattern. This unique wing movement allows hummingbirds to hover in air and also fly both forward and backwards. Hummingbirds are also very vocal, making a range of squeaks, chirps and tweets. • Ruby-Throated hummingbirds are among 15 different species living in the U.S. It has the largest range of all hummingbirds and can be found across the country. • The other 14 species are typically found along the west coast, Rocky Mountains, southwest, or deep south in Texas and Louisiana. They include the Rufous Hummingbird, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Allen’s Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, Costa’s Hummingbird, Blue-throated Mountain-gem, Lucifer Hummingbird, Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, White-eared Hummingbird, and Buff-bellied Hummingbird. • Because of its wide range, the ruby-throated hummingbird is the most intensely studied species. Migration studies have found that it flies across the Gulf of Mexico, living in Mexico and Central America during the winter. It flies more than 500-miles north in the spring and returns in late summer. • Hummingbirds have high metabolisms, and the migration journey takes a lot of energy. They require lots of calories, which they get from drinking nectar from long tube-shaped flowers. They have long beaks and tongues to reach the nectar in these specific flowers. In fact, they consume two or three times their body weight each day. They are very territorial, protecting their food resources from other hummingbirds. • Hummingbirds are important pollinators for many species of plants that require just such a long-billed pollinator. In Missouri, hummingbirds love to eat from the red buckeye and native honeysuckles. The eastern red columbine is a native wildflower that times its bloom with the hummingbird’s northern migration. • Of course, most people see them around hummingbird feeders. If you have a feeder, remember to use four parts water to one part white sugar. Boiling the solution will slow fermentation and keep the mixture fresher longer, especially if storing it in the refrigerator. There is no need to add red coloring and never use honey or artificial sweeteners. Keep the feeder clean and the artificial nectar fresh as bacteria can harm and kill hummingbirds. • Hummingbirds also eat insects, particularly young hummingbirds. Like other birds, parents will feed babies regurgitated food and eventually whole insects. • In early April, Adults build cup-shaped nest on tree branches. The nests are typically made of spider webs, lichen, and other plant material. They can raise up to two broods in a season. This is why hummingbird populations typically peak in August, as the families begin the migration back south. • In early spring or late fall, you may find a hummingbird that appears to be asleep or dead. However, its more likely the bird is in Torpor, a form of hibernation. While most birds shiver when cold to maintain body heat, hummingbirds don’t. Instead, when temperatures drop, they fall asleep for several hours. Their metabolism and heart rate slows and body temperature drops. When the weather warms up, the birds wake up and resume normal activity. • Because of their small size, hummingbirds are a source of prey for many predators. Spiders, praying mantises, dragonflies, robber flies, frogs, other birds, and cats are just a few of the animals that could hunt them. In the wild, hummingbirds typically live between 3 to 5 years. • Meet Brody • If you are new to the channel, Brody is fascinated by bugs and animals. He loves sharing his discoveries with his brother, sister, and friends so much that he started this channel. This way he can show them videos and not just describe the bug or animal. Brody does all his own research, with some help from his parents, as well as his uncle and aunt who are biologist. • Hypnosis by Vendredi / vendrediduo Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/3ejmYOC Music promoted by Audio Library • Video

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