-- HUMMINGBIRD Q & A --
Caught Hummingbirds #1

• In their endless pursuit of food, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) often go where they probably shouldn't! Young hummers, in particular, sometimes wander into a garage; in an attempt to get out they fly up into the rafters to survey the situation but become disoriented and fail to fly down and out of the building. (If this behavior happens repeatedly, you might want to keep your garage door closed except when coming and going.) When a hummingbird gets caught in your garage or on your screen porch, leave the door open and hang a feeder in the open door. (This strategy may be enough to help the bird find its way out--but it may also attract even more hummers to your garage!) If this doesn't work, a butterfly net can be used to carefully snag the bird so it can be gently released outside. You can also try holding a long-handled mop up toward the hummer; sometimes the bird will perch on the mop and you can lower it down. If none of these techniques work, contact your local wildlife rehabilitator for further instructions. A list of rehabilitators in the United States, Canada, and some other countries is at: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm.
• If the humnmingbird is in good health, you may also wish to contact a local hummingbird bander for assistance. This is especially the case if you have a winter vagrant hummingbird that is out of range.
• If the hummingbird is exhausted from its efforts to escape and you have it in hand, you should try to feed it before releasing it. Instructions for how to do this are under "Injured Hummingbirds."
• NOTE: Hummingbirds may enter a garage because they see the device used to manually close the door; invariably this is a rope from which hangs a RED handle, and this may attract the hummingbird's attention. We suggest you spray paint the handle BLACK.

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