DenmasterWatch the Video
There is a video lecture for this class that’s about an hour long, so if you don’t have time now, you can come back later to watch it.
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Complete the assignment
Write your assignment in the comments below.
Your assignment (about 200 words, or 300 if two of you join up for a single report) is to tell what you find the most interesting about hummingbirds and the science behind it.
Take the Quiz
Once you’ve watched the videos and written your assignment, there is a quick 10-question quiz. Roommates can combine forces to take the quiz…just be sure to post both of your names on the first page of the exam.
Scouts who complete the entire assignment and pass the quiz before 11:59pm on 5/29 will earn 500 points and a merit badge.
Scouts who complete the entire assignment and pass the quiz before 11:59pm on 6/5 will earn 100 points and a merit badge.
We have humming birds in our yard now FINALLY! We have two feeders in the backyard for them and two in the front yard. Mom bought some kind of flowers for them that are blooming now so they can get nectar from the flowers and sugar water from the feeders.
We find everything interesting and fascinating about humming birds. One interesting fact is the weight of a humming bird. Did you know that the average weight of a hummingbird is less than a nickel and that their tiny legs are only used for perching and moving sideways while perched? They can’t walk or hop.
We have feeders at our house and they attach to the window with suction cups and we can watch them eat. The humming birds we notice are very territorial when eating. When they see another hummer trying to feed while they are eating they will try and chase them away. We have more than one feeder and this helps not to have so many arguments on who gets to eat next. Plus in the fall we have lots of hummers eating on our beautiful hawthorn bush. They like the bright reddish flowers that bloom during the end of summer. This helps them get their food and energy for their migration that will soon take place. They are the smallest migrating bird. They don’t migrate in flocks like other species, and they typically travel alone for up to 500 miles at a time.
Once when mom was sitting out on our back deck a humming bird flew right over her shoulder. She could hear the beating wings as it passed her. She said it was amazing and it was the first and last time that she heard this sound. So different than any sounds she heard before. The name, hummingbird, comes from the humming noise their wings make as they beat so fast. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Hummingbirds have no sense of smell. While they can’t sniff out feeders, they do have good color vision. Some birds like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird prefer orange or red flowers. Despite this, red dye should not be used in nectar as it could harm the birds. Instead, plant naturally red or orange flowers or use feeders that have red coloring in their structure.
Humming birds drink the nectar found in feeders by moving their tongue in and out about 13 times per second. They can consume up to double their body weight in a day.
The average number of eggs laid by female hummingbirds is only two. These eggs have been found in nests smaller than a half dollar and compare in size to a jellybean or a coffee bean. Some species, like the Black-chinned Hummingbird make their nests with plant down, spider silk, and other natural resources that can expand as their babies grow after hatching. In the fall after the leaves are off the trees mom has found a few humming bird nests.
There are over 330 species of hummingbirds in North and South America. Hummingbirds live in all sorts of habitats such as forests, deserts, and even along the coast.
We feel so fortunate to have these tiny and beautiful birds on our property.
eeek, my screen froze up and then I lost the test at question five. Hope that doesn’t affect my score.
Whew! I passed with 70%
COMMON NAME: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Archilochus colubris
TYPE: Birds
DIET: Omnivore
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 5 to 9 years
SIZE: 3 to 4 inches
WEIGHT: 0.07 to 0.21 ounces
These green and red birds are found across the eastern half of the U.S. and ranging from Canada to Mexico during migration. This species is attracted to hummingbird feeders or tubular flowers, and prefers orange or red flowers.
Despite their tiny size, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird makes a remarkable annual migration.
They have been known to travel 500 miles NON-STOP over the Gulf of Mexico to breeding grounds. It is estimated that they take about twenty hours to fly across the Gulf of Mexico.
The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird has only approximately 940 feathers on its entire body.
During courtship, the wingtips of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird beat up to 200 times per second, as opposed to the usual wing beat of 90 times per second.
When the female appears, her partner displays by flying to and fro in a perfect arc. The pair then dives up and down vertically, facing each other.
The average Ruby-Throated Hummingbird weighs 3 grams. In comparison, a nickel weighs 4.5 grams. It would take more than 150 Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds to weigh one pound.
For some reason, my report got “hacked” so I am re-posting here. The one above is not as I typed it.
There are over 330 species of hummingbirds, and they only inhabit the New World. They migrate from Canada to South America, but some birds live year-round in Florida.
Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward, and they can also fly upside down when needed. They cannot walk or hop – their legs are only used to perch.
Two types of hummingbirds have evolved to service particular plants: The Sword Bill has a bill longer than its body, and is the only bird that can feed from the Angel’s Trumpet and pollinate others. The Sickle Bill hummer has a curved beak that can fit into the Heliconia Plant.
Here in Maryland, we have several types of hummers, but we only see the Ruby-throated and Broad-tailed ones. Both of these are green in body, with red highlights around the throat. The females are less colorful and we only see the colorful ones. Maybe the males get first feeding?
The male broad-tailed hummers make whistling noises with their tails while flying.
The film mentioned that some birds recognize plants and shrubs, and return to the same ones when migrating. We think it would be fun to “mark” or “tag” some of the birds to see if that is true! I seem to remember that in another film we watched about bird migration, some birds return to the same yards, farms or areas year after year. Wouldn’t that be cool if we had “return” visitors?!
Hummingbirds are important for pollination, and they have evolved and adapted for their own survival and for the plants! Over 8000 species of plants depend on hummers for pollination.
The birds spend 80% of their day perching, grooming and resting. During the day, they must eat about every 15 minutes. At night, they go into torpor, which lowers their heartrate and conserves energy. They cannot protect themselves from predators while in torpor.
We can’t wait to see our birds this season!
I got a 70% on my test. For some reason I haven’t figured out yet, Maggie usually does better than I do on the tests!
There are over 330 species of hummingbirds, and they only inhabit the New World. They migrate from Canada to South America, but some birds live year-round in Florida.
Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward, and they can also fly upside down when needed. They cannot walk or hop – their legs are only used to perch.
Two types of hummingbirds have evolved to service particular plants: The Sword Bill has a bill longer than its body, and is the only bird that can feed from the Angel’s Trumpet and pollinate others. The Sickle Bill hummer has a curved beak that can fit into the Heliconia Plant.
Here in Maryland, we have several types of hummers, but we only see the Ruby-throated nd Broad-tailed ones. Both of these are green in body, with red highlights around the throat. The females are less colorful and we only see the colorful ones. Maybe the males get first feeding?
The male broad-tailed hummers make whistling noises with their tails while flying.
The film mentioned that some birds recognize plants and shrubs, and return to the same ones when migrating. We think it would be fun to “mark” or “tag” some of the birds to see if that is true! I seem to remember that in another film we watched about bird migration, some birds return to the same yards, farms or areas year after year. Wouldn’t that be cool if we had “return” visitors?!
Hummingbirds are important for pollination, and they have evolved and adapted for their own survival and for the plants!
Allen’s Hummingbirds, Selasphorus sasin – Rare vagrants – The Allen’s Hummingbird is often confused with the Rufous Hummingbird, but the Allen’s can be identified by the green back whereas the Rufous has a coppery back.
The male has a throat that ranges in color from orange-red to yellow-orange, a back that is bright green, a rump that is rufous and its tail feathers are rufous tipped in black.
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Selasphorus platycercus – Accidental / Rare Vagrants
Males can most easily be identified by their iridescent, rose-red throats, white chest feathers and metallic green back and crown and their rounded tails. The males’ tails make whistling noises in flight.
Females lack the flashy throat patch of the male and are mostly pale below. Their white-tipped outer tail feathers are rust-colored close to the body and blackish in the center; the tail feathers in the center range from green to blackish.
ollinators for plants in their range. Over 8000 species of plants depend on hummers for pollination! The birds spend 80% of their day perching, grooming and resting. During the day, they must eat about every 15 minutes. At night, they go into torpor, which lowers their heartrate and conserves energy. They cannot protect themselves from predators while in torpor.
Two types of hummingbirds (maybe more) have developed special bills
I passed the test with 90%. Here is my report.
Hummingbirds only live in the New World – North, Central and South America. Here in Maryland, We usually have Hummingbirds in our yard from May until October. We haven’t seen any yet this year, but mom hasn’t put out our feeders yet. We generally see them at our feeders, but they also love our butterfly bushes.
In our area, we have ruby-throated hummingbirds, Rufous, Allen’s and Broad-tailed hummers. We usually see the rubies and the Broad-tailed birds. The ones we see are very colorful, so I don’t know if the females avoid visiting or if we just happen to see the males. Mom puts 5 feeders out in different parts of our yard, so that we can watch them from our window perches in different rooms. The birds sometimes “line up,” but we have never had more than one bird at a time at any of the feeders.
Mom has told us about friends who live nearby, but in the country, who have multiple birds at all of their feeding stations. It might be that the country is more attractive than the city to these little beauties!
We always wonder where the birds go at night. They must nest in the yard, but we don’t see them in the trees or shrubs!
The ruby-throated hummers occupy the largest breeding range of all the North American humming birds. They winter from central Mexico to western Panama. Some stay year-round in Florida.
Some hummers fly over the Gulf of Mexico during their migrations, and they can fly up to 500 miles non-stop. The film didn’t mention how many miles per hour they can log, but it must take many days to go that far!
When hummers migrate, they generally fly alone, sometimes logging in over 6000 miles per year.
This report is from me and Cooper Murphy.
We found the facts we learned about hummingbirds from the lecture so fascinating, that we wanted to learn more and then share that information with all of you as our report. In some cases we compared hummingbirds to humans and in some cases to cats.
The facts we have gathered were not covered in the video.
A hummingbird’s brain makes up 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom but a very small percentage in comparison with the human brain, which weighs about three pounds and makes up approximately 20 percent of the human’s body weight.
A hummingbird’s heart is 2.5% of its total body weight. In contrast, the human heart is about 0.3%. But then the hummingbird’s heart beats approximately 1200 beats per minute (250 beats a minute at rest.) A human heart rate at rest is about 60 to 90 beats per minute.
Thirty percent of a hummingbird’s weight consists of flight (pectoral) muscles. Humans pectoral muscles are about 5% of body weigh.
The hummingbird’s body temperature is around 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Humans are around 98 degrees and we cats are 99.5-102.5.
Hummingbirds have little to no sense of smell but they have better hearing than humans but not cats.
Hummingbirds can see farther than humans and can see ultraviolet light.
A hummingbird’s tongue is grooved like the shape of a “W,” and the bird uses it to lap up nectar rather than using its beak like a straw. Hummingbirds have tiny hairs on the tips of their tongues to help them lap up the nectar.
A hummingbird will visit an average of 1,000 flowers per day for nectar and can remember which flowers it has visited.
Hummingbirds have 1,000 to 1,500 feathers, the fewest number of feathers of any bird species in the world. Not only do they not need as many feathers because of their tiny size, but fewer feathers also keeps them more lightweight for easier flight.
Most hummingbirds die in the first year of life, but they have an average life span of about five years. Hummingbirds can live for more than 10 years. The oldest known hummingbird was a Broad-Tailed Hummingbird that was captured and tagged 12 years apart.
Cooper and I took our exam and got 100%. Another interesting class. Thanks Denmaster.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds live in North America during the summer months, but prefer to spend their winters in much warmer climates. They are the only Hummingbirds in Eastern North America. You can see these birds as far west as Texas and North Dakota, and as far north as parts of central and eastern Canada.
During the cold winter months, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds live in Central America and southern Mexico. When the weather begins to turn warm, they migrate north. This can be a demanding journey. Many of them fly non stop over the Gulf of Mexico. Hummingbirds do not fly in flocks like other birds they fly alone so they have to rely on their own instincts. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds start their migration in late February or early March. In late March they reach the South Eastern United States and they continue to migrate north, arriving in the North Eastern United States in April or May. They spend their summer breeding, raising their young and getting ready to fly back to Central America and southern Mexico. In the weeks before hummingbirds migrate, they start to intensely feed in an attempt to gain weight and fat.This is called hyperphagia. In August or September they start to migrate south. They follow the same journey back to Central America or Mexico.
Very interesting. I did not realize they fly alone.
I found the sword-bill hummingbird the most interesting. It has the longest bill in proportion to its body of any bird. The bill is 4.25 inches which is about the length of the entire body. The bill is so long that it has to groom itself with its feet.
All hummingbirds are part of a family called Trochilidae , but the sword-bill is monotypic which means it is the only species with its genus. The males are solid green and the females are green with white and green speckles. And both have bronze shiny heads.
The sword-bill hummingbird is found in the Andean regions of South America. There are certain flowers that only they can get nectar from because most hummingbirds don’t have bills long enough to reach the nectar. One of these flowers is a passiflora.
When feeding, the tongue extends past the beak and moves 13 times per second- that is fast. Not a bird I would want to go after with that big sword.
Have a nice summer everyone!
Very nice Sammy P
I passed with 100%!
Good job! I only got a 70.
My report is on migration. Many hummers spend winter in Central America or Mexico and then migrate north to their breeding grounds in the southern United States as early as February and to other areas later in the spring. They fly by day when nectar sources are more abundant. Flying low allows the birds to see, and stop at, food supplies along the way. They also use tail winds to help reach their destination. They can travel up to 23 miles per day. During migration, a hummers hear beats up to 1,200 times per minute and it’s wings flap 15-80 times a second. The first arrivals are usually male. Ruby throat hummers visit almost all of North America, including my home state of Indiana. By August or September they start moving south, refueling in early morning, traveling midday and foraging again in the late afternoon. Ruby Throats gather in Florida, Louisiana and the southern Texas coast to push south over the Gulf of Mexico or an overland route through Mexico. Rufous hummers head south mostly via the eastern range of the Rock Mountains.
My report on the Ruby-throat Hummingbird by Cat P.
In Michigan we only have one humming bird that is common and that is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. In the whole Eastern North American region this is the only breeding hummingbird. With that said the Ruby-throated Hummingbird has the largest breeding area of any hummingbird.
The Rudy-throated Hummingbird winters between southern Mexico and Panama. It is believed that they return to the same location to winter as long as the habitat is favorable. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird was mentioned in the video as stopping in Rockport TX to fatten up for the long flight across the Gulf of Mexico.
The female hummingbird has one to two broods per year. The incubation period is on 11 to 16 days. The young take flight around 20 to 22 days after birth. Often the female will begin to build her second nest while still tending to young in the first nest.
I find the physical aspects of the hummingbird fascinating, here are just a few of those facts. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s wings beat between 40 and 80 times per second. Their heartrate is beats at 250 beats a minute when resting and 1200 beats per minute when feeding. They are very fast too. They fly at an average speed of 30 miles per hours and 63 miles per hour when they dive.
I would like to end with a personal encounter, well sort of. Last summer my mom was outside and heard a commotion in the garage. As it turned out a Ruby-throated Hummingbird flew in the open garage door and the outdoor cats were trying to figure out how to get to it. My mom helped save him by guiding him outside after several attempts of getting it to come out from above the overhead door. Happy ending, he finally flew away to safety.
Nice report and how kind of your mom to rescue one.
My report is a result of my fascination with the attraction to red flowers that hummers seem to have.
Hummingbirds and the Color Red (report for CSU by Teddy Kimmell, 5-29-19)
Hummingbirds see red more clearly and vibrantly than humans, thanks to a greater concentration of cone cells in the retinas of their tiny eyes. Those cones are enhanced with red and yellow pigments that filter other colors, making red hues even brighter, so hummingbirds notice red, yellow and orange colors more quickly and easily.
Over eons of evolution – according to the California Academy of Sciences, hummingbirds have been evolving for the past 42 million years – both hummingbirds and the nectar-rich flowers they prefer have taken advantage of that visual acuity. Flowers have evolved to have brighter red hues to attract the birds, and as the birds visit rich nectar sources, they carry pollen to different blooms and help the flower reproduce. Hummingbirds have learned that red often indicates a rich nectar source, and so they repeatedly visit red flowers for their next sip. Since hummingbirds can see red shades more easily, they can quickly pick out the flowers that are most likely to be plentiful sources of nectar.
Adding red to your yard is a great way to catch hummingbirds’ attention. There are many garden-friendly options, such as…
• Different red flowers or red-tinged foliage
• Benches, chairs or other furniture painted red or trimmed with red cushions
• Red garden decorations, such as gazing balls, stepping stones, flags, etc.
Of course, many hummingbird feeders are designed with red accents, such as faux red flowers surrounding feeding ports, red-tinted glass or plastic for the nectar reservoir or simple red tops or bases. If a feeder does not have red accents, hummingbirds will still find it, but adding a red ribbon, a string of red beads or red polka dots, swirls or flowers with model paint or bright nail polish can help them notice it sooner.
The One Place You Should Never Have Red !!
While more red will attract more hummingbirds’ attention, no red dye should ever be added to hummingbird nectar or inside feeding ports where paints or dyes may contaminate nectar. While red nectar has been popular in the past, studies have shown that the dye stays in hummingbirds’ systems long past when the nectar has been metabolized, and it is still unknown what damaging impact such high concentrations of artificial dyes may have on these tiny birds. Conscientious backyard birders, however, will not take any unnecessary risks with the birds they love, and it is better to avoid any dyed nectars. Natural flower nectar, after all, is clear, and it is only the red on surrounding flowers that indicates the food source to hungry hummingbirds – that is the exact same approach you should use in your backyard.
Great report Teddy. My folks used to buy the red powder to mix, but now they just use sugar.
Same here……..!!
Hummingbirds in Pennsylvania
Timmy and Einstein
We wanted to know about hummingbirds in our State so we know when to start feeding and what kinds to keep an eye out for. It seems that most agree that they arrive in Southernmost PA around April 10th and make it to Northern PA around May 1. Yay they are already in our area and we will have Dad order a feeder today as it is something he has been talking about. Interestingly since when they arrive there is a lack of blossoms for nectar they will use oozing holes drilled into trees by sapsuckers and hummingbird feeders. If you wait to put up a feeder here till June or July it may be too late so we need to get going. Banding studies do show that many hummers will return to the same areas they were in during the last summer or fall. If they find ready sources of nectar they will re-establish their last years territory. We read that you although they are attracted to red this should by the color of the feeder and not the nectar we add to it. A simple nectar can be made with a 4 to 1 water to sugar mix and any color added is not good for the tiny birds.
The males arrive here around 10 days earlier than the females but once both are settled into their summer breeding grounds they will begin their courtship and then mating. Einie stop laughing! They like building their nests on long thin branches. They like deciduous trees which are the kind that shed their leaves in the winter. We have an oak and several sycamores in the back where we want to have our feeder so perfect for families. They also sometimes use pine which we have also. They make their nest like 10 to 40 feet up so no worries from us. They are about 2 inches around and an inch deep and made of dandelion and thistle held by spider silk and pine resin. The lady after around 6-10 days of building a nest will lay 1-3 eggs that weigh around 1/50th oz. They will little ones will leave the nest after 18-22 days and hummer mom will feed them for another 3 week. Those that make it a year may live to their average age of 3. The oldest ruby-throated hummer was 9yo. There are 17 species of the 300 known that come to North America. The most common here in PA is the ruby-throated. We sure hope we see a lot visiting our yard this year!
Great report! We get the ruby throated here too.
YAY Allie and I got 100% on our test! This was a super class…thanks Denmaster!
Allie and I did our report on Hummingbirds in Florida:
Hummingbirds live only in the Americas. Of the 338 species known, 16 are found in the United States and 3 occur in Florida. Black-chinned and rufous hummingbirds occasionally can be seen in Florida during the winter. The ruby-throated hummingbird is by far the most common hummer in the state. This feathered jewel is about 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) long and weighs as little as a penny (¼ ounce). Its name describes the most brilliant part of the mature male’s plumage. The throat feathers contain air bubbles that give off an iridescent red tone in full light. Their backs are metallic green and they have two sets of tail feathers: two green ones in the center that cover eight outer black ones when they’re folded. In females and juveniles, the black feathers have white tips; males lose the white tips as they mature. Range The ruby-throat’s breeding range extends from central Kansas to the east coast and from Saskatchewan to central Florida. Although some birds may stay in south Florida year-round, most winter in Mexico and South America. Males arrive in Florida in March. Females arrive about a week later. Nesting in Florida begins in April. The nest is a walnut-size structure of plant down, adorned with lichens, moss, and bound with spider webs or fine plant fibers. Nests frequently are built over water. The female lays 2 eggs less than ½ inch (1.2 centimeters) long. After 20 days of incubation and 4 weeks of growing, young hummingbirds leave the nest.
Blooming season is another important gardening consideration. Nesting hummingbirds will need nectar from March to September. Therefore, your garden should have numerous nectar plants available throughout this time. It is best to plant a variety of species and to arrange these flowers in several groupings. Nesting hummingbirds are very aggressive and territorial around their food source. Having more than one flower garden will allow several hummers to feed at the same time without conflict.
Sugar solutions must be kept fresh. Florida’s hot weather can cause rapid bacterial growth in these feeders and birds that drink contaminated water could die. To avoid this, change the solution every 3-5 days. Clean the feeders with hot water and white vinegar. Do not use soap or chlorine bleach.
Raz that was really great. We get a few more different hummers in PA but we learned the same about the solution.
COol that you have 3 kinds, we only have the ruby throated.
That was one of the BEST videos I’ve ever seen on hummers…..We love them more than ever now – such special and remarkable birds.
Sure was amazing!
I agree that was a very good video.
Yes it really made us want to see them this year!
We nailed that quiz Einie
Einie: Yeah, a 1000 is really good
Umm, no, a hundred which IS really good
Einie: Yup, I will email Dad that we got a 1000
Sigh!
This says the time limit for the quiz is two minutes. That can’t be right, can it?
That’s the limit per QUESTION, not the entire quiz.
I think that is per question