Attracting Hummingbirds

Lesson 3: YOUR VERY OWN HUMMINGBIRDS

WHAT ABOUT INJURED BIRDS?

First of all, don’t panic if you see a nest without a mother hummingbird. She may be out collecting protein to feed her young. Don’t gaze for too long at a nest. There may be predators watching, and your attention may alert them to the nest’s location. Use binoculars to check the nest again in an hour, and if the mother has not returned, call your local Audubon Society or look in the phone book for a local wildlife rescue agency. You can also try your local zoo, animal shelter, or parks department for assistance. The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Counsel at (707) 864-1761 or the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association at (320) 259-4086 may be able to offer you advice or give you the name and number of a wildlife rescue agency in your area. The Links provided with your course have websites with information about finding wildlife rehabilitators in your area.

Additionally, don’t panic if you see a young hummingbird on the ground. It may simply be learning to fly. All you need do is keep children and other animals away from it. If it remains on the ground for an extended period of time or continuously calls for its mother, call the wildlife authorities at that time. If you see a tiny unbroken egg about half the size of a jellybean on the ground, you can place it back in the nest as long as the mother is not inside it.

If you find a hummingbird perched and quiet, don’t assume it’s dead! Hummingbirds have the ability to control their metabolism to a large degree (something we humans would love to learn how to do!) When the weather begins to cool during the evening, hummingbirds slow down their metabolism into a state called "torpor." If their metabolism stayed at its normal rate, they would lose too much energy during the night in the cooler temperatures. In other words, they would have to keep eating all night long and wouldn’t get any rest at all! In torpor, they control their heart rate until it slows to near death. In order to move again, a hummingbird must gradually increase its heart rate until its body is warm enough to take flight. If you run across a hummingbird before this warming has taken place, it will appear dead to you. Leave the bird alone, and wait a few hours to see if it moves. Again, don’t bring the attention of predators to the location of the bird. Hummingbirds are at their most vulnerable when in torpor. Many people have picked up what they thought was a dead bird only to have it miraculously come to life from the warmth of their hands! It’s no wonder hummingbirds have always been thought of as magical creatures!

Even if you see a hummingbird in torpor, make it your policy to never handle a wild bird. In most states, it’s illegal, and you can cause more harm than good. If you find a bird lingering too long in winter, contact your local Audubon Society. The truth is, however, there is little to be done in this situation. Capturing hummingbirds is a tricky business. Every fall in New York City, the birdwatching community becomes excited by unusual species showing up in the City’s parks. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only species that belongs in New York, but Rufous hummingbirds and Calliope hummingbirds that have lost their way are sometimes spotted. There has been much debate about how to help them when winter weather sets in. Because of the risks inherent in capturing and trying to relocate these birds, most wildlife experts agree it’s best to leave them to nature. While some hummingbird species in South America are endangered, no species in North America is currently at risk. Rufous hummingbird numbers appear to be going down somewhat, but no one has determined why as yet. Still, their numbers are well sufficient to keep them off the endangered list.

Sometimes, a hummingbird can become trapped in your garage, and this is a special problem that is tremendously risky for the bird. If this happens, the bird's instinct will cause it fly up to the ceiling. Within an hour, it can die without food to eat. Try to keep the garage as quiet as possible, and don’t bring in lots of people to assist you. This will only cause the bird to become more frightened. Hang a feeder near the door opening, step back, and wait no more than ten minutes. If the bird does not come down to feed, call a wildlife rescue agency immediately, and ask them to hurry. The best way to avoid this occurrence is to (1) paint your garage door handle black, (2) hide red items in your garage, and (3) most importantly, keep your garage door closed as much as possible.

To learn more about America's wildlife, check out SuiteU's course, "Our National Wildlife Treasures."

Have you had an experience with an injured bird?

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