-- HUMMINGBIRD Q & A --
Myths & Fallacies #1

No one is sure where the "urban myth" about goose-aided migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) got started, but it's hard to imagine it could be true. Hummingbirds migrate under their own power just above the waves of the Gulf of Mexico (or just above trees when flying overland) while Canada Geese can migrate at 20,000 feet or higher. Hummingbirds certainly would not function well at that altitude. In addition, migratory geese heading south don't end up in the tropics; most stop instead along the coastal Carolinas, well north of hummingbird destinations. Perhaps someone merely supposed that a RTHU is incapable of long-distance migratory flight and assumed it had to hitch rides on bigger birds--just like folks used to believe that hummingbirds have no legs (see #3 below).

2. It makes sense to me that if I leave a hummingbird feeder up in fall it will discourage migration. Am I wrong about this?

• Leaving a sugar water feeder up in autumn will not keep Ruby-throated Hummingbirds from migrating. Hummer migration is stimulated by photoperiod, so as days become shorter in fall they begin to put on fat and soon depart for the tropics. Nearly all birds that stay behind are those that are ill or "genetically inferior," and it's likely that they would die in migration anyway.
• At most locations in the eastern U.S. and Canada, 99% of the RTHUs are gone by 15 October, and adult males begin to return in late March. Females follow soon thereafter.
• We suggest you maintain one feeder, changing the sugar water twice weekly, as long as you wish. Over the past several years, there have been many Eastern U.S. sightings of vagrant western species such as Rufous Hummingbirds that do not breed in the East. If you live east of the Mississippi River and see a hummer after mid-October, it may be one of these western birds; please contact RESEARCH via e-mail if you spot one. (There are several hummingbird species that regularly overwinter in California and Arizona; please don't report those.) Also see Research: Winter Hummingbird Banding on the Web site for Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History.

3. What are some other hummingbird myths? (Part 1)

• Hummingbirds have no legs or feet. Obviously, hummingbirds do not fly continuously around the clock. In fact, they spend far more time perching than flying, but they're so small they're not always easy to see when sitting on a branch. Curiously, hummingbirds are classified (along with the swifts) in the Apodidiformes, a bird order whose name means "no feet." The legs of hummingbirds are very short; in fact, the four toes on each foot are almost as long as the leg itself. To counter this myth, simply ask: Would Perky-Pet waste money putting perches on feeders if hummingbirds had no feet to perch with? Or, Where would a hummingbird bander put the leg band if hummers had no feet or legs?
• Hummingbirds hibernate in lake mud rather than migrating. With the exception of some of the goatsuckers, no birds are known to "hibernate." Hummingbirds living in locales that have low nighttime temperatures may go into "torpor," a short-term state in which they lower their body temperatures and metabolisms and conserve energy through the night.
• A hummingbird sucks up nectar with its bill, which is a hollow tube like like a straw. Although the hummingbird's bill is long and thin, it's composed of a top and bottom portion just like any other bird. A hummer can open its mouth far enough so the tips of the upper an lower bill are about 1cm (3/8") apart--far enough o capture spiders and fruits flies and ther small insects that provide fats and proteins. As for nectar and sugar water, the hummingbird laps up liquids just like a dog or cat by rapidly sticking its tongue in and out, abdout 2-4 yimes per second. This action is facilitated by feathery edges on the tongue, which is also split slightly at the tip--allowing the ends to overlap slightly and make a shallow "spoon" that brings in even more liquid.

4. What are some other hummingbird myths? (Part 2)

• For a more detailed discussion of our Top Ten (Plus Two) Hummingbird Myths, please see our sister Web site for Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History.

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