Hummingbird Fun Facts!

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Posted by Bird House Guy | Posted in Attract Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds, wildlife | Posted on 07-11-2009

Hummingbirds are amazing creatures and a popular attraction to many yards in yer neck of the woods. People, both young and old, appreciate the beauty and entertainment that come from the hummingbird feeding and flying. Below are some facts that maybe we haven’t considered as we observe these little, territorial creatures. We use a computer, cell phone or other appliance many times, without even thinking about how it works. The hummingbird has some amazing facts and hope this will bring some neat insite to “how they work”.

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  • Hummingbirds take about 250 breaths per minute.
  • They have 1500 feathers.
  • They consume half of their body weight (1/8 lb) in food everyday! That would be like an average kid eting about 40 to 50 pounds of food a day.
  • They beat their wings about 78 times per second. during a display dive, their wings can beat up to 200 times per second.
  • Their average life span is 3 -5 years – Max 12 years.
  • They can fly at speeds of 60 miles per hour and can fly forwards, backwards, up, down , sideways and even upside down briefly, but they cannot walk.

Nesting: A hummingbird nest is not much bigger than a quarter, and often it contains just 2-3 eggs no bigger than small peas. The nest is very hard to see as it blends in well to the tree branch that it is attached to and is made of fine animal or plant down and moss.

Water: Hummingbirds, like many birds, need and are attracted to “water”. One of the best ways to attract hummingbirds is with a “mister” that emits a fine spray.

The Birdhouse Guy!

The Birdhouse Guy!

For more information on hummingbird facts, consider browsing  ”Hooked on Humminbirds” at: http://bit.ly/1pBxka. Or if you have any questions of your own concerning this topic, feel free to contact me at: freedomenterprises@bresnan.net .    Happy “Humming” Birding!

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"The Main Attraction" for Hummingbirds!

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Posted by Gary | Posted in Attract Hummingbirds | Posted on 30-06-2009

What would be some other “Main Attractions” to get Hummingbirds to stay around. They are enjoyable birds and do alot of natural pollinating that is a benefit for the flora and for us. Here are some additional “Main Attractions” that might be of help if you are interested in bringing these birds as new resident in yer neck of the woods.
Ideas of Consideration are:
Have Several Colorful Items in your Yard.
I recall sitting on my back porch, reading, one morning when I lived in St. Louis, Missouri. I was drinking coffee from a very colorful coffee cup with my wife’s name on it. I kid you not, a local hummingbird whisked himself about a foot from where I was reading, checking out my colorful coffee mug. That was very cool.
When he realized there was no nectar, he kindly went his way. The point is that these hummingbirds are attracted to and interested in colorful plant life and items in your backyard. This let’s us know that maybe tying a big red or lavender bows around your trees, or bright colored yard ornaments are a good primer for getting the hummingbirds attracted to your yard and eventually to the bird feeders.
A Good Water Recipe.
This is really something to consider when building a humming bird garden. Migrating hummingbirds, as well as local hummingbirds, will find refreshment in your yard with a well loaded hummingbird sugar water feeder.
Remember, hummingbirds really dig nectar so the mission is to simulate nectar in your hummingbird feeder.
When mixing a homemade hummingbird formula, you want to mix one part sugar to four parts water in your feeder. To avoid spoilage and to kill any bacteria, go ahead a boil the mixture for about 1-2 minutes and let cool before pouring into your feeder.
What ever you do, NEVER add food coloring or honey to the feeder. Honey can develop a fungus which can be fatal to hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds are neat, fun and educational for you and the whole family. The very fact that you are reading this article would let one know that you have a desire to attract humming birds to yer neck of the woods. Whether for enjoyment, natural pollination or natural insect control, you can’t go wrong in every facet of desire, giving habitation to these fascinating birds.
For more information on artificial cavities for the wildlife
in your neck of the woods.
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USING COLORFUL PERENNIALS TO ATTRACT HUMMINGBIRDS TO YER NECK OF THE WOODS!

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Posted by Gary | Posted in Attract Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds, wildlife | Posted on 23-06-2009

Are you wondering how to attract hummingbirds naturally? Maybe you have thought about what type of plants or shrubs you like to occupy that part of your yard that will help prime your hummingbird feeder. Here are some plant and shrub ideas that you may want to consider when attracting hummingbirds to your neck of the woods.
We hope this will be of help to your success. Happy birding.
PERENNIALS.
* Bee balm : Grows best in full sun, but can grow in shade.
* Columbine : The flower ranges between 1″ – 3″ and comes in every color imaginable.
* Foxglove : A beautiful purple, horn-type flower, perfect for hummingbird feeding.
* Red Hot Poker : Also known as the Torch Lily. Spikes 2-5 ” high with colors ranging from ivory white to coral read. Simply gorgeous! A favorite of hummingbirds.
SHRUBS AND TREES.
* LILAC : These require maximum sun for full bloom and some shade for very hot areas of sun.
* HIBISCUS : A pinkish – red flowery plant requiring a sandy soil that is rich so as to retain water table. A mulch on top of the soil will help the plant to maintain a consistent and constant moisture level in the summer months.
* BUTTERFLY BUSH : This is an easy grower. This China native plant can spike up to 15′ tall. Very multi-colorful plant ranging from blues to reds to purples with a great fragrance. The bush will grow in almost any soil with blossoms appearing in late summer.
These are just a few ideas to get you started that will help aide you in your garden and back yard areas when attracting hummingbirds. The final result be a lack of disappointment as hummingbirds and their friends frequent your plant life and your feeders. Happy Feeding!!!
For more information on artificial cavities for the wildlife
in your neck of the woods.
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How to Attract Hummingbirds to Yer Neck o’ the Woods.

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Posted by Gary | Posted in Attract Hummingbirds, Hummingbird feeders, Hummingbirds | Posted on 31-05-2009

Most everyone likes to look at and attract colorful hummingbirds. They are really neat and fascinating creatures that like to frequent the yard every now and again.

Whether it’s their colorful bodies, ability to pollinate or their vicious wing speeds of 55 times per second feeding and 200 times per second when maneuvering, everyone has something they like about these little nectarivorous creatures.

These little guys provide all kinds of vital pollination activity to thousands of different plant species which is vital to the proliferation of plant life. People from the Midwest enjoy these critters, some 300 different species weighing less than 20 grams, from mid-spring to late fall.

If you are interested in attracting hummingbirds, there are some key approaches that must be considered if we want to be successful in our desire.

Have Several Sources of Nutrition. Hummingbirds are attracted to items of are attracted to items of bright colors. It is good to have various plant life in your yard that fits that description.

For instance, crabapple trees have some really neat colors of flowers that bud on them.

Another suggestion might be tulips or JayDay Lilies that yield a bright colored blossom and, of course, shrubs attract hummingbirds also. Hummingbirds mostly thrive and feed mostly on plant nectar, but they eat insects too.
For more information on artificial cavities for the wildlife
in your neck of the woods.
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