Ruby-throated hummingbird
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae Genus: Archilochus
Species: Archilochus colubris
As a species of hummingbird, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a part of the only family of birds that has the ability to fly backwards. It beats its wings about 53 times per second and has even been known to cross the entire Gulf of Mexico in one flight. Its legs are so short that it cannot hop around or walk, but must instead shuffle its feet to move slowly across a branch. Males are often territorial when it comes to good feeding spots, and they often chase other hummingbirds away from nectar-filled flowers by jabbing at the other birds with their beak. Not only does the Ruby-throated Hummingbird drink flower nectar, but it also catches tiny insects in midair and can even pluck them off of spider webs. Spider webs serve another purpose for these birds, as the Ruby-throated Hummingbird uses the webs’ silk to hold its nest together. This species can often be seen in the SOL garden and the Regents Nature Center as it zips from blossom to blossom in search of sweet and highly nutritious nectar.
Conservation status: Least concern
Description: Green above and white below; males have a darker head with a ruby-colored throat
Length: 2.8-3.5 inches
Wingspan: 3.1-4.3 inches
Diet: Nectar, tree sap, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and spiders
Habitat: Gardens, brushy areas, backyards, and parks
Season: Spring-Fall
Credit source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
