27 Sep Uncommon Hummingbird Photos | Sept 2016

Uncommon Photos of Hummingbirds

Allen’s Hummingbird, Male

Few people see these uncommon views of a Hummingbird.

For example, did you know that hummingbirds can open their bills as shown in the above photo. That’s important because 10% of this hummingbird’s diet consists of small bugs.

So if you see a hummingbird darting about over a pond or open space, it’s catching bugs.

Allen’s Hummingbird, Male

Like other birds, hummingbirds practice stretching. So here is a bird fluffed up with its tail fluffed out.

For a bird, this represents a good, healthy stretch.

Allen’s Hummingbird, Male

Hummingbirds have a forked tongue that’s lined with hair-like extensions (called lamellae). When pushed into a flower, the tip of the tongue separates and the lamellae extend outward. As the bird retracts its tongue, the tips come together and the lamellae roll inward, thereby trapping nectar within the tongue.

And they can lick at rates of up to 20 per second.

Allen’s Hummingbird, Male, Preening

All that stretching pays off. As a result, a hummingbird can preen even its back feathers.

So here’s an example of being able to twist 180 degrees. Note that this bird has stretched so far that its downy feathers are now exposed.

Allen’s Hummingbird, Male, Taking a Bath on a Waterfall

Hummingbirds prefer to take baths on running water. That helps wash sticky nectar from their underside.

So here is a hummingbird taking a bath on the edge of a waterfall.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

See more examples of Bird Behavior at:

Kids Ask the Most Incredible Questions

Feathers Make the Goose

Gular Fluttering Is for the Birds

Signs of Spring

The Bird with a Million Faces

Help Birds Tip

Keep Filling Hummingbird Feeders

Why: In many areas, hummingbirds stay active during winter. For example, some species are residents in the Western States. And in other areas, hummingbirds are passing through as migrants.

Birding Resources

Audubon has prepared suggestions for plants that attract birds. See: Plants for Birds

This excellent info can help you plan next year’s garden.

Did You Know?

The most effective way to help birds is to buy land.

Here are three organizations that excel at doing this.

1) American Bird Conservancy

2) The Nature Conservancy

3) The Trust for Public Land

Please visit their web sites to learn about the work they do.

Here’s an excellent book: The American Bird Conservancy Guide to Bird Conservation

You can help – Please share this blog with others.

Inspiring Respect for Nature, one bird at a time.

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