Ruby Throated Hummingbird (All about the R. T. Hummingbird)

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the most widely distributed and commonly recognized hummingbird in North America. It is the only hummingbird species to regularly breed in the eastern United States and its colorful green and red plumage is instantly familiar to many birders. Despite its familiarity, however, there are a lot more facts about this member of the Trochilidae bird family that surprise even experienced birders and hummingbird lovers.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Identification.
The ruby-throated hummingbird is easy to identify by range, but in areas where this bird does overlap with other hummingbird species or where vagrant sightings are possible, birders should be familiar with the key field marks and characteristics that make this hummer distinct. A hummingbird's bill is its most instantly recognizable feature, and the long, needle-like black bill of the ruby-throat has a very slight downward curve, and females have slightly longer bills than males.

Males have a black face and a bright red or red-orange iridescent throat, though the throat may appear dark or dull in poor light. The chin and throat are white, and the chest is gray-white with a vest-like look. Upperparts and head are bright green, and the wings and forked tail are darker green-black.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are not commonly vocal but do have a high pitched, sharp chatter and sharp, high “pips” they will use when threatened or during courtship displays. Chase calls have a buzzy quality. A moderate hum sound is also generated by the wings in flight but may not be heard unless the birds are very close.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Habitat and Distribution.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are common summer visitors in the eastern half of the United States as well as southeastern and south-central Canada. The birds can be found in deciduous forests, parks, gardens, and yards, particularly areas with colorful flowerbeds and flowering hedges.

Behavior.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are strongly attracted to red and orange colors, as are most hummingbirds, and will hold their tails still while hovering to feed. Both male and female birds will use acrobatic aerial displays to defend their roughly quarter-acre territory. These birds become more aggressive near food sources as they prepare for migration in late summer. When agitated, they may initiate dive displays to ward off intruders.

Diet and Feeding.
Like all hummingbirds, ruby-throats drink nectar and eat insects for protein. They may also sip at sap wells that woodpeckers have drilled and will pluck spiders from their webs. These hummers happily visit nectar feeders as well as hummingbird gardens that are planted with nectar-rich flowers from spring through fall.

Nesting.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are solitary birds that only come together in pairs to mate after males perform courtship displays that include large arcs with buzzing at the lowest point. These hummingbirds are polygamous, and males may mate with several females. Each female parent will build her thick cup-shaped nest lined with fine plant fibers or down and trimmed with moss and lichens for camouflage, placed 5-20 feet above the ground.

Eggs and Young.
A female ruby-throated hummingbird will produce 1-3 broods of 2 oval-shaped, plain white eggs each per year. She incubates the eggs for 10-16 days, and after the eggs have hatched, the female parent cares for the nestlings for 15-22 days until they are mature enough to leave the nest. Male ruby-throated hummingbird parents play no role in caring for the eggs or chicks.

Ruby-throats will occasionally hybridize with black-chinned hummingbirds where the ranges of the two species overlap.

Tips for Backyard Birders.
Hummingbirds are highly desirable backyard visitors. Ruby-throated hummingbirds can be attracted to nectar-producing flowers, particularly red blooms such as red columbine, bee balm, phlox, trumpet creeper, and lilies. Birders can also hang nectar feeders to offer additional food sources and limit the use of insecticides to give hummingbirds a healthy insect food supply. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are also attracted to active water sources, such as misters, drippers, and shallow fountains.

How to Find This Bird.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are not difficult to find within their range, and any yard with a clean, filled hummingbird feeder is likely to attract these thirsty birds. Visiting nature centers, butterfly gardens, and botanical gardens are other ways to easily see ruby-throated hummingbirds. Some research facilities and preserves may even offer opportunities for guests to participate in hummingbird banding activities for up close encounters with ruby-throats.

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