Celebrating Hummingbirds–And Freddie
Freddie started it. That is, my little buddy Freddie was the original inspiration for this blog. In all of the craziness in the middle of town, we learned to cherish the pure joy of hummingbirds. My husband and I lived in Medford, Oregon, right in the middle of town where we rented an apartment on the second floor of a complex. The balcony overlooked an asphalt parking lot and people. People driving, people yelling, people partying, and people milling around. It was definitely a noisy land of chaos.
Still, there was nothing more refreshing on a crisp fall morning than pouring my coffee with a little chocolate mix added and going out to sit on the porch to wake up. The air is clean, the sky is blue, and the sun is barely warm on my face as I close my eyes and kick back to take it all in. That is when I hear a familiar ticking sound. It gets closer and closer, along with a faint buzzing. I open my eyes to greet Freddie, hovering no more than five feet from my face.
Visits From Freddie
Freddie was our little buddy, a constant reminder to enjoy the little moments. He was playful and fun to watch, not the least bit afraid of people. He would fly right up to my husband or me and demand that an empty feeder be filled AT ONCE. Living in the middle of town was a bummer, but our saving grace was living upstairs where the dim was not quite so loud. There was also a row of trees between the buildings so we had a tiny slice of wildlife watching the birds.
Legend says hummingbirds carry with them our hope for love, joy, and celebration. They were created to remind us that beauty is everywhere, life is rich, and every personal connection has meaning. Native Americans associate them with beauty, industriousness, harmony, and integrity. They are often portrayed as a healer or a spirit helping someone in need. If the hummingbird is your totem, you are reminded to appreciate the miracle of life and everything that makes up life. They encourage you to enjoy life because it is fleeting, so keep yourself light and free.
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- Peeking In
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- Freddie
Hummers Living in Talent
Now we live in a beautiful little duplex at the edge of Talent, Oregon, and my love of hummingbirds just grows. I have two feeders set up right outside the living room window, just above the television where the hummers come in to have meals throughout the day until dark. They are so beautiful and fun to watch as they chase each other around, tails flared and bouncing between the feeders. There is another feeder at the other end of the house that I can see from my desk in the office. They are a blast…well unless the feeders get empty. Then I get an earful when I walk out into the yard. Gotta keep those feeders full!
There are seven species of hummingbirds in Oregon and they are important pollinators in our area. You may have seen them whizzing by, heard the ticking noise from the trees, or seen the feeders hanging on people’s porches, but how much do you really know about these tiny little creatures?
Anna’s Hummingbird is the largest species common to our area and is regularly found here in the Rogue Valley during the winter.
Costa’s Hummingbird males are sometimes around for the whole year in southern Oregon. I am guessing Freddie is an immature male, but I am definitely no scientist. I just love to watch them.
Fun Facts About Hummingbirds
- They can hover in one spot or fly forward, backward, or sideways but cannot walk
- They do not suck pollen out of flowers but actually use their long beak to insert a long tongue there and lick out their food
- When it is time to breed, the males are master architects. They take great care in designing a nest and each one is unique
- The female hummingbird will lay two eggs which are smaller than jellybeans
- They bathe often and love to play in the water or with each other, often mocking fighting just for fun or exercise.
- A hummingbird’s heart can beat up to 1,260 beats a minute or it can go down to 50-180 beats per minute on a cold night during which they experience torpor, a state that is a lot like hibernation
Inviting a Hummingbird to Dinner
Hummingbirds are big eaters. You can bet all that wing activity burns plenty of calories. One hummingbird will have around 50 or 60 meals a day. In the spring that seems fairly easy as they dart around from flower to flower, enjoying the sweet nectar and helping to pollinate the plants. They are definitely a welcome guest in your garden. You can plant a variety of different plants that will help you attract them to your garden or yard if you are interested in enjoying their playful nature around your property. Try planting Oregon Grape, Western Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Honeysuckle, Indian Paintbrush, or Penstemons. All of these can make your house their first stop in the daily mission to find food. They would also love a water mister. Hummingbirds do not bathe as other birds do, so a fine mist is irresistible to them. They love to fly through the water and then rest and preen for a bit.
Feeding Hummingbirds
During the off-season, many local hummingbirds rely on us for food. The flowers are few and far between so the little guys can use some help. They are always on the lookout for a meal and need to drink two times their own body weight every day. If they find a good source of food they will keep coming back so keep your feeder cleaned and full.
Hummingbirds are not picky eaters but there are a few helpful tips to follow:
* I don’t recommend you use the store-bought brands of food. Many of them contain dyes or other things that may not be good for our little bird friends.
* Avoid ingredients like honey, artificial sweetener, or brown sugar.
* Find a sturdy feeder that will be easy to clean. You always want to be on the lookout for any mold or bacteria that may develop by cleaning them often.
* Use one with an insect guard on it to keep the bees away from your hummingbird feast. Using a water moat on the line above the feeder will keep ants away as well.
* Use this homemade mixture for the healthiest results. Start with 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Then add 1 cup of pure cane white sugar into the water and let it boil for 2 minutes. Let it cool and fill the feeders.
My Recommended Product
Yes, for each article I would like to recommend a product from Amazon, partially because it helps me generate a little income to help pay for this site and because I hope it will foster your interest in this subject.
If you love hummingbirds as much as I do, consider putting out a feeder to attract them. There are many different designs. I prefer the glass ones because they seem to leak less, like this one.
