I Love Hummingbirds!

First, photo credit for the incredible Hummingbird shot above goes to my Sister Susanne, who really captured this Hummingbird in all its beauty at her home…and here’s the best shot I could get at my house:

You have to understand that my Hummingbird feeder is near a window with a screen, but with that said, let’s get started with a Hummingbird hoedown:

My Dancing Hummingbird!

I love that dancing Hummingbird – I found out it’s the male’s way to attract females….with that in mind, here are five things you need to know about Hummingbirds:

They Hum!

1 – The name, hummingbird, comes from the humming noise their wings make as they beat so fast.

When I am outside filling up my feeder, I sometimes hear one “buzz” by me in a friendly way…they are very social creatures to be sure!

2 – 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.

It’s not often I get more than one at time on the feeder, but I didn’t know they didn’t migrate in flocks like other birds…

Going Both Ways!

3 – Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.

All you have to do is watch them and see how they move backwards and forwards with ease.

Check out this video of a Hummingbird hovering over my feeder as another sits and drinks:

4 – Keep The Bar Open!

Yes, these birds love to belly up to the bar!

Hummingbirds 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.

Go Red!

5 – Hummingbirds have no sense of smell. While they can’t sniff out feeders, they do have good color vision.

So, if you want a lot of Hummingbirds, plant naturally red or orange flowers – also: DO NOT USE Hummingbird solution that is dyed red – just buy a feeder with a red perch, like this:

Here’s something I got that is really cool: this Male is going to serious lengths to impress the Female – first by hovering, then by dive bombing her!

I read that a Male Hummingbirds will “dance” to attract the Female – and while it was shot through a screen, I managed to capture the “dance”:

So there are just a few reasons a Hummingbird is a “spirit animal”, and I will keep trying to get better shots like this incredible photo, which also comes from my Sister:

An absolutely gorgeous shot – it’s an “Anna’s Hummingbird” – typically found along the western coast of the U.S. These birds are easy to attract to backyards with nectar or by looking in spring blossoming trees and flowers – see more of her terrific Hummingbird shots at her blog:

https://catsandtrailsandgardentales.com/2020/01/14/the-changing-color-of-the-annas-hummingbird/

There is more wildlife in Southern California than you may realize: we routinely see news reports of wandering Bears and Mountain Lions, along with Coyotes, Raccoons and more…

OK, I admit that Giraffe don’t roam freely here – BUT there is a Safari in Malibu that’s the next best thing!

Stanley the Giraffe loves to be fed, and the Safari is also a wine tour!

Click here to see more!

https://johnrieber.com/2019/06/18/malibus-wine-safari-stanley-the-giraffe-invites-alex-to-saddlerock-ranch-and-winery/

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Leave me a comment and let me know if you have Hummingbirds where you live!

Categories: Los Angeles, Memoirs, nature, Pop Culture, Travel, Travel Adventures

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