Submitted by Velma Skidmore

Since mid-April when the Ruby-throated hummingbirds arrived in our neighborhood they are so fun to watch. So small they are! Their amazing tiny bodies and wings move so rapidly. A recent article in the September-October 2015 Audubon Magazine gives interesting information:

“Ruby-throats weigh less than a nickel, can fly up to 2,500 miles from Canada to Central America during fall migration, including a non-stop push across the 500 mile wide Gulf of Mexico. They hover and fly forward, backward, even upside down – their wings fluttering up to 50 times per second, at speeds reaching 40 miles per hour, and their hearts thumping as fast as 1,220 beats per minute.”

A fascinating bird for sure and fun to watch in our bird feeder.