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Created on: 29 November 2001

Hummingbird Links

Banding HummingbirdsSpring ArrivalsDistribution MapsHummingbird Torpor
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Hummingbird Banding
(send your recommendations to me)

NOTE: U.S. Federal laws prohibit the "take" (which includes harrasing, killing, or even handling) of any non-game, native, wild bird, either dead or alive, or any part of such a bird, including feathers, bones, eggs, and nests, unless you have a bird banding permit from the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory, or salvage permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, or are working directly under the supervision of someone with such a license.

All the hummingbird banders depicted below meet these requirements and are devoted to the protection of the birds they study.

Many hummingbird banders, particularly those in the eastern USA, are VERY interested in documenting wintering hummingbirds -- and will drive for hours and hours one-way to do so. Nearly every eastern state is covered by a licensed bander, so just because you don't see a dot near your hometown on the map at right, don't think your bird isn't worthy of reporting for documentation!

Hometowns of licensed hummingbird banders in the United States

HOW'S IT DONE? Detailed explanation of the process and benefits.

hummingbird band
Upside-down band ("..005")
Bands weigh less than 1% of a
hummingbird's body weight.
Photo © 2004 Stacy Jon Peterson
  • Operation RubyThroat Banding Project -- Bill Hilton Jr. does a nice job describing (and showing) how hummingbirds are banded. Great page for understanding the hows and whys of hummingbird banding.
  • Hummingbird banding on the San Pedro River -- Photos and description of hummingbird banding in Arizona as part of the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory.  Contains a great photo of a hummingbird band on a penny for scale!
  • New Mexico Hummingbird Banding -- Joan Day-Martin provides nice close-up photos of the bands and briefly illustrates the banding process.
  • Hummingbird Banding -- Photos and description of a female Rufous Hummingbird hosted in March 2002 by Helen Baines of Texas and banded by Charlie Brower.
  • HumBanding Methods-- description of humbanding techniques used in Idaho and Alaska by Stacy Jon Peterson.

PROJECTS and RESULTS

  • Hummingbird Banding Project -- Troy Gordon describes his Missouri hummingbird project, complete with study plan and preliminary results.
  • Hummingbird Banding Results -- Don Mitchell provides results from his Kern River Watershed (California) study in summer 2000.
  • Hummingbird Banding Results -- George West provides bi-weekly results from two of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network sites at Madera Canyon and Arivaca in southeastern Arizona..
  • Idaho Hummingbird Banding-- Idaho hummingbird research by banders Fred Bassett, Stacy Peterson, Terry & Peggy Peterson, and Greg Wardwell.
  • Michigan HummerNet -- Allen Chartier's banding research on Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in Michigan.
  • Ontario Hummingbird Project -- Ontario, Canada's hummingbird research coordinated by Cindy Cartwright
  • Operation RubyThroat -- Bill Hilton Jr.'s banding project for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds near York, South Carolina at the Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History.
  • Vagrant & Winter Hummingbird Banding -- Bill Hilton Jr.'s Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History in South Carolina has an active banding program for winter hummers; updated regularly with lots of photos and interesting text.
  • Winter Hummingbird Banding -- Brief page describing the winter work of the Hummer / Bird Study Group (HBSG).
  • Winter Hummingbirds of Southwest Louisiana -- Photos and banding notes by Dave Patton.

Louisiana Winter Hummingbird Banding

REPORTING "WINTER" HUMMINGBIRDS

If you are hosting a hummingbird outside its normal range (see species maps) in the fall or winter (or indeed ANY hummingbird in the East after November 15), a number of researchers are interested in helping you identify it. With your permission, they will arrange a time to visit your house, carefully capture the bird (they have the necessary federal and state permits to do so; see "How's it Done" links above), measure and band it. Often you get the pleasure of releasing it! To report such a hummingbird, click the emal letter below and send me the details. I will map the town in our Trochilids Mapping Project and immediately forward the report to the nearest participating bander or inform you if no one is available. If you choose not to have your hummingbird banded, we certainly respect your wishes. We'd still love to hear about your bird, though, so we can add it to our database with whatever documentation is available.

Email Report Winter Hummingbird

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Hummingbird Migration Arrival Maps
(send your recommendations to me)

  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- spring migration dates mapped by Lanny Chambers.  Contains archived arrival maps back to 1996.  That year, all common species were mapped.  In later years only Rufous and Ruby-throats are mapped.  Since 2000 only Ruby-throats are included.  Mike Patterson took over Rufous Hummingbird migration since 2000; see link below for this species.
  • Georgia Ruby-throated Hummingbirds -- spring migration maps of arrival dates in the state of Georgia.
  • New England Hummers -- Ruby-throat migration maps for the New England states by Sharon Stichter -- very similar to Lanny's maps, but more detailed (larger maps/smaller geographic area of consideration)
  • Rufous Hummingbird -- maps by Mike Patterson. Dark blue dots represent the earliest dates (early February) and red the latest (mid-May or so) with turquoise, green, yellow and orange in between. Contains links to archived maps back through year 2000.

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Hummingbird Distribution Maps

  • Michael Shepard's North America Bird Information Web Site  (This site is a work in progress, but when completed will most likely be a premier resource for "noteworthy sightings" in North America)
  • U.S. Gealogical Survey (USGS) North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)

Credits:  Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, I. Thomas, J. Fallon, and G. Gough. 2000. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 1999. Version 98.1, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD

Click for explanation of BBS Trend Maps and Breeding Distribution Maps.

  1. Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter (CBC data)...
  2. Black-chinned Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter (CBC data)...
  3. Anna's Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter (CBC data)...
  4. Costa's Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter (CBC data)...
  5. Calliope Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter Distribution not provided here
  6. Broad-tailed Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter Distribution not provided here
  7. Rufous Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter (CBC data)...
  8. Allen's Hummingbird -- BBS Trend...   Breeding (BBS data)...   Winter Distribution not provided here
  • i-bird.com shows distribution maps (though not terribly accurate) for many United States hummingbirds, and then some.

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Hummingbird Torpor
(send your recommendations to me)

Several small animals (deer mice, hummingbirds, etc.) have the ability to undergo a short-term "hibernation" usually at night during times of environmental stress, such as periods of food shortage, very low temperatures, etc. This short-term "hibernation" is more accurately termed "torpor." It is characterized by a dramatic decrease in metabolic rate and the resulting drop in body temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, and most other body functions. Thus torpid animals can conserve significant amounts of energy over what they would have expended during normal sleep. Torpid animals appear to be in a deep trance and cannot easily be aroused. It takes extended periods of time (portions of hours instead of mere minutes or seconds) for an animal to enter and arise from torpor. (Thus, the calmness you see a hummingbird exhibit in a bander's hand is not torpor.) For more information on torpor, check out the following links.

Articles from all but the last few years in the journals Wilson's Bulletin, Journal of Field Ornithology, Auk, Condor, North American Bird Bander, Studies in Avian Biology, and Pacific Coast Avifauna may be available as PDF files through SORA: Searchable Ornithological Research Archive. Search by the authors name and a keyword in the title. Journal of Experimental Biology articles may be found here.

  • Scientific articles on Torpor in General (and those for which I have a special interest(!!); see below for hummer-specific articles)
    1. Barclay, R.M.R., C.L. Lausen, and L. Hollis. 2001. What's hot and what's not: defining torpor in free-ranging birds and mammals. Can. J. Zool. 79:1885-1890. [PDF]
    2. Geiser, F. 1988. Reduction of metabolism during hibernation and daily torpor in mammals and birds: temperature effect or physiological inhibition? J. Comp. Physiol. B, 158:25–37.
    3. Geiser, F., and T. Ruf. 1995. Hibernation versus daily torpor in mammals and birds: physiological variables and classification of torpor patterns. Physiol. Zool. 68:935–966.
    4. Geiser, F., Holloway, J.C., Körtner, G., Maddocks, T.A., Turbill, C., and R.M. Brigham. 2000. Do patterns of torpor differ between free-ranging and captive mammals and birds? In Life in the Cold: Proceedings of the Eleventh International Hibernation Symposium, 13–18 August 2000, Jungholz, Austria. Edited by G. Heldmaier and M. Klingenspor. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. pp. 95–102.
    5. Lyman, C.P., Malan, A., Wang, L.C.H., and J.S. Willis. 1982. Hibernation and Torpor in Mammals and Birds. Academic Press, New York.
    6. McKechnie, A.E. and Lovegrove, B.G. (in press) Evolutionary and ecological determinants of avian torpor: a conceptual model. In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Ornithological Congress. Acta Zoologica Sinica. [manuscript PDF]
    7. McKechnie, A.E. and Lovegrove, B.G. 2002. Avian facultative hypothermic responses: a review. Condor 104(4): 705 - 724. [PDF]
    8. McKechnie, A.E. and Wolf, B.O. 2004. The energetics of the rewarming phase of avian torpor. Pp 265-273 In Barnes, B.M. and Carey, H.V. (eds.) Life in the cold: Evolution, Mechanisms, Adaptation and Application. Biological Papers of the University of Alaska #27. Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S.A. [PDF]
    9. Nestler, J.R., S.J. Peterson, B.D. Smith, R.B. Heathcock, C.R. Johanson, J.C. Sarthou, and J.C. King. 1997. Glycolytic enzyme binding during entrance to daily torpor in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Physiological Zoology 70:61-67.
    10. Nestler, J.R., T. Lingenfelter, G. Gonthier, J. Gifford, and S. Peterson. 2000. Gluconeogenesis in brain and liver during daily torpor in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). In: Heldmaier, G. and M. Klingenspor (eds.) Life in the Cold. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
    11. Snyder, G.K. and J.R. Nestler. 1990. Relationship between body temperature, thermal conductance, Q10, and energy metabolism during daily torpor and hibernation in rodents. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 159:667-675.
    12. Storey, K.B. 2001. Turning down the fires of life: metabolic regulation of hibernation and estivation. In: Molecular Mechanisms of Metabolic Arrest (Storey, K.B., ed.) BIOS Scientific Publishers, pp. 1-21.
    13. Wang, L., and M. Wolowyk. 1988. Torpor in mammals and birds. Can. J. Zool. 66: 133–137.

Scientific articles on Torpor and Energetics in Hummingbirds (many from the web site of Dr. Sara Hiebert, Swarthmore College, PA; Dr. Mark Chappell, University of California, Riverside; the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory; the Bird Banding Laboratory's Hummingbird Bibliography page, and prior publications of  Dr. F. Lynn Carpenter -- all where more hummingbird-related references can be found).

Articles from all but the last few years in the journals Wilson's Bulletin, Journal of Field Ornithology, Auk, Condor, North American Bird Bander, Studies in Avian Biology, and Pacific Coast Avifauna may be available as PDF files through SORA: Searchable Ornithological Research Archive. Search by the authors name and a keyword in the title. Journal of Experimental Biology articles may be found here.

  1. Ahlborn, B., and R.W. Blake. 2001. Why birds cannot be smaller than bees. Can J Zool. 79:1724-1726. [PDF]
  2. Barclay, R.M.R, C.L. Lausen, and L. Hollis. 2001. What's hot and what's not: defining torpor in free-ranging birds and mammals. Can J Zool. 79:1885-1890. [PDF]
  3. Bartholomew, G.A., Howell, T.R. and T.J. Cade. 1957. Torpidity in the White-throated Swift, Anna Hummingbird, and poorwill. Condor 59:145-155.
  4. Bech, C., A.S. Abe, J.F. Steffensen, M. Berger and J.E. Bicudo. 1997. Torpor in three species of Brazilian hummingbirds under semi-natural conditions. Condor 99:780-788. ABSTRACT
  5. Berger, M. and K. Johansen. 1980. Torpor stages in hummingbirds -- Respiratory and circulatory adaptations. [Die stadien der kaltestarre bei kolibris -- Anpussung von atmung und kreislauf.] Verh. Dtsch. Zool. Ges. 73:307.  Abstract only.  In German.
  6. Bicudo J.E.P.W. 1996. Physiological correlates of daily torpor in hummingbirds. In: I.A. Johnston and A.F. Bennett, eds, Animals and Temperature, Phenotypic and Evolutionary Adaptation. Cambridge University Press, pp 293–311.
  7. Bicudo, J.E., A.C. Bianco, and C.R. Vianna. 2002. Adaptive thermogenesis in hummingbirds. J Exp Biol. 205:2267-73. [PDF]
  8. Bicudo, J.E., and C.V. Zerbinatti. 1995. Physiological constraints in the aerobic performance of hummingbirds. Braz J Med Biol Res 28:1139–1145. ABSTRACT
  9. Bucher T.L. and M.A. Chappell. 1989. Energy metabolism and patterns of ventilation in euthermic and torpid hummingbirds. In: C. Bech and R. Reinertsen, eds, Physiology of Adaptation in Birds. Plenum Publishing Company, pp 187-195.
  10. Bucher T.L. and M.A. Chappell. 1992. Ventilatory and metabolic dynamics during entry into and arousal from torpor in Selasphorus hummingbirds. Physiol. Zool. 65:978-993.
  11. Bucher T.L. and M.A. Chappell. 1997. Respiratory exchange and ventilation during nocturnal torpor in hummingbirds. Physiol. Zool. 70:45-52. ABSTRACT
  12. Calder, W.A. 1973. An estimate of the heat balance of a nesting hummingbird in a chilling climate. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A 46:291-300.
  13. Calder, W.A. and J. Booser. 1973. Hypothermia of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds during incubation in nature with ecological correlations. Science 180:751-753.
  14. Calder, W.A. 1975. Factors in the energy budget of mountain hummingbirds. Pages 431-441 in Perspectives in Biophysical Ecology, ed. D.M. Gates. New York: Springer.
  15. Calder, W.A. 1976. Energy crisis of the hummingbird. Nat. Hist. 85:24-29.
  16. Calder, W.A. 1976. Energetics of small body size and high altitude: the Rufous Hummingbird in coastal Alaska. Int. J. Biometeorol. 20:23-35.
  17. Calder, W.A. 1981. Heat exchange of nesting hummingbirds in the Rocky Mountains. Nat. Geog. Soc. Res. Rept. 13:145-169.
  18. Calder, W.A. and S. Hiebert. 1982. Some energetic aspects of behavior in a montane hummingbird nesting habitat. Nat. Geog. Soc. Res. Rept. 14:89-94.
  19. Calder, W.A. 1991. Hypothermic torpor in Broad-tailed Hummingbirds: When and at what costs? Am. Zool. 31:42A. Abstract only.
  20. Calder, W.A. 1994. When do hummingbirds use torpor in nature? Physiol. Zool. 67:1051-1076.
  21. Carpenter, F.L. 1974. Torpor in an Andean Hummingbird: its ecological significance. Science 183:545-547.
  22. Carpenter, F.L. and M.A. Hixon. 1988. A new function for torpor: fat conservation in a wild migrant hummingbird. Condor 90:373-378.
  23. Carpenter, F.L., M.A. Hixon, C.A. Beuchat, R.W. Russell and D.C. Paton. 1993. Biphasic mass gain in migrant Rufous Hummingbirds: body composition changes, torpor, and ecological significance. Ecology 74:1173-1182.
  24. Chai, P., A. Chang and R. Dudley. 1998. Flight thermogenesis and energy conservation in hovering hummingbirds. J. Exp. Biol. 201:963-968.
  25. French, N.R. and R.W. Hodges. 1959. Torpidity in cave-roosting hummingbirds. Condor 61:23.
  26. Gass, C.L., M.T. Romich and R.K. Suarez. 1999. Energetics of hummingbird foraging at low ambient temperature. Can. J. Zool. 77:314-320.
  27. Hainsworth, F.R., B.G. Collins and L.L. Wolf. 1977. The function of torpor in hummingbirds. Physiol. Zool. 50:215-222.
  28. Hainsworth, F.R. and L.L. Wolf. 1978. Regulation of metabolism during torpor in temperate zone hummingbirds. Auk 95:197-199.
  29. Hiebert, S.M. 1988. Sliding thresholds of energy reserves for torpor initiation in the Rufous Hummingbird. Am. Zool. 28:127A.
  30. Hiebert, S.M. 1989. Torpor in the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus Rufus). Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. Wash. From Diss.Abstr. 1990. Int. B Sci. Eng. 50:3877.
  31. Hiebert, S.M. 1990. Energy costs and temporal organization of torpor in the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). Physiol. Zool. 63:1082-1097.
  32. Hiebert, S.M. 1991. Seasonal differences in the response of rufous hummingbirds to food restriction: body mass and the use of torpor. Condor 93:526-537.
  33. Hiebert, S.M. 1992. Time-dependent thresholds for torpor initiation in the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). J. Comp. Physiol. B. 162:249-255.  ABSTRACT
  34. Hiebert, S.M. 1993. Seasonality of daily torpor in a migratory hummingbird. Pp. 25-32 In: Life in the Cold: Ecological, Physiological, and Molecular Mechanisms, eds. C. Carey, G.L. Florant, B.A. Wunder and B. Horowitz. Boulder: Westview Press.
  35. Hiebert, S.M. 1993. Seasonal changes in body mass and the use of torpor in a migratory hummingbird. Auk 110:787-797.
  36. Hiebert, S.M., K. Salvante and M. Ramenofsky. 1998. Corticosterone and daily torpor: noninvasive determination of a hummingbird's response to energy restriction. Am. Zool. 38:25A.
  37. Hiebert, S.M., M. Ramenofsky, K. Salvante, J.C. Wingfield and C. L. Gass. In press. Noninvasive methods for measuring and manipulating corticosterone in hummingbirds. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.
  38. Hiebert, S.M., K. Salvante, M. Ramenofsky and J. C. Wingfield. 2000. Corticosterone and nocturnal torpor in the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 120: 220-234.  ABSTRACT
  39. Hiebert, S.M., K. Salvante, M. Ramenofsky and J.C. Wingfield. In prep. The role of corticosterone and torpor in thermal acclimation of Rufous Hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus).
  40. Hiebert, S.M., L. Deni and A. Graefin zu Eltz. In prep. The role of daily timing and dose of corticosterone in regulating nocturnal torpor in Rufous Hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus).
  41. Lasiewski, R.C. 1963. Oxygen consumption of torpid, resting, active, and flying hummingbirds. Physiol Zool 36:122-140.
  42. Lasiewski, R.C. 1964. Body temperature, heart and breathing rate, and evaporative water loss in hummingbirds. Physiol Zool 37:212–223.
  43. Lasiewski, R.C. and R.J. Lasiewski. 1967. Physiological responses of the blue-throated and Rivoli's hummingbirds. Auk 84:34-48.
  44. Lopez-Calleja, M.V., and F. Bozinovic. 1995. Maximum metabolic rate, thermal insulation and aerobic scope in the small-sized Chilean hummingbird Sephanoides sephanoides. Auk112: 1034-1036.
  45. Lopez-Calleja, M.V., and F. Bozinovic. 2003. Dynamic energy and time budget in hummingbirds: A study in Sephanoides sephaniodes. Comp Bioch Phys. 134:283-295 [PDF]
  46. Lyman C.P., J.S. Willis, A. Malan and L.C.H. Wang. 1982. Hibernation and Torpor in Mammals and Birds. Academic Press, New York.
  47. Nelson, D. 1991. Daytime torpor in a Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus). Colo. Field Ornithol. J. 25:45-46.
  48. Pearson, O.P.1954. The daily energy requirements of a wild Anna's Hummingbird. Condor 56:317-322.
  49. Powers, D.R. 1991. Diurnal variation in mass, metabolic rate, and respiratory quotient in Anna's and Costa's hummingbirds. Physiol Zool 64:850-870.
  50. Powers, D.R., A.R. Brown, and J.A. Van Hook. 2003. Influence of normal daytime fat deposition on laboratory measurements of torpor use in territorial and nonterritorial hummingbirds. Physiol and Biochem Zool 76:389-397. [PDF]
  51. Powers, D.R. and T.M. Conley. 1994. Field metabolic rate and food consumption of two sympatric hummingbird species in southeastern Arizona. Condor 96:141-150. [PDF]
  52. Powers, D.R. and T. McKee. 1994. The effect of food availability on time and energy expenditures of territorial and nonterritorial hummingbirds. Condor 96:1064-1075. [PDF]
  53. Powers, D.R. and K.A. Nagy. 1988. Field metabolic rate and food consumption by free-living Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna). Physiol Zool 61:500-506.
  54. Prinzinger, R., K. Krüger, and K.L. Schuchmann. 1981. Metabolism-weight relationship in 17 hummingbird species at different temperatures during day and night. Experientia 37:1307-1309.
  55. Schuchmann, K.L., K. Krüger and R. Prinzinger. 1983. Torpor in hummingbirds. Bonn. Zool. Beitr. 34:273-277.  In English with German summ.
  56. Schuchmann, K.L. and R. Prinzinger. 1988. Energy metabolism, nocturnal torpor, and respiratory frequency in a Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy). J. Ornithol. 129:469-472.  In English with German summ.
  57. Schuchmann, K.L. and D. Schmidt-Marloh. 1979. Temperature regulation in non-torpid hummingbirds. Ibis 121:354-356.
  58. Stiles, F.G. 1971. Time, energy, and territoriality of the Anna hummingbird (Calypte anna). Science 173:818-821.
  59. Suarez, R.K., G.S. Brown, and P.W. Hochachka. 1986. Metabolic sources of energy for hummingbird flight. Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol 251:R537–R542. ABSTRACT
  60. Vianna C.R., T. Hagen, C.Y. Zhang, E. Bachman, O. Boss, B. Gereben, A.S. Moriscot, B.B. Lowell, J.E. Bicudo and A.C. Bianco. 2001. Cloning and functional characterization of an uncoupling protein homolog in hummingbirds. Physiol. Genomics 5:137-45. ABSTRACT [PDF]
  61. Warncke, G. 1993. Electromyographical activity and its significance for body temperature and torpor in the Giant Hummingbird, Patagona gigas. Verh. Dtsch. Zool. Ges. 86:11. In German.
  62. Warncke, G., W. Linow and M. Friedrich. 1991. Electromygraphical activity and its significance for body temperature and torpor in the hummingbird species, Colibri coruscans. Verh. Dtsch. Zool. Ges. 84:433-434. In German.
  63. Withers, P.C. 1977. Respiration, metabolism, and heat exchange of euthermic and torpid poorwills and hummingbirds. Physiol. Zool. 50:43-52.
  64. Wolf, L.L., and F.R. Hainsworth. 1983. Economics of foraging strategies in sunbirds and hummingbirds. In: W.P. Aspey and S.I. Lustick, eds. Behavioral Energetics: The Cost of Survival in Vertebrates. Ohio State University Press, pp 223-264.

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Hummingbird Mortality / Predation
(send your recommendations to me)

Many people think that hummingbirds are so incredibly small and fast that they must not have many natural enemies. But life for a hummingbird is anything but easy. A vast number of animals have been documented to prey on hummingbirds, at least adventitiously, and hummingbirds can die due to a number of other causes. Here I compile a few of the primary journal articles that describe these causes of mortality in hummingbirds. It really is eye-opening.

For something even more eye-opening (unless you were the hummers involved), see this photo of the fatal result of an apparent collision between a male and female Ruby-throated Hummingbird!

Here's another tragic event -- a hummingbird caught in the angled arm/connection of a shepherd's hook feeder pole.

And many of you have recently read about hummingbirds captured by praying mantis's. This isn't new. See Butler (1949), Hildebrand (1949), and Murray (1958) below. But here are some much more recent photos to support this claim: Example 1. Example 2. Example 3.

Articles from all but the last few years in the journals Wilson's Bulletin, Journal of Field Ornithology, Auk, Condor, North American Bird Bander, Studies in Avian Biology, and Pacific Coast Avifauna may be available as PDF files through SORA: Searchable Ornithological Research Archive. Search by the authors name and a keyword in the title. Journal of Experimental Biology articles may be found here.

  • Ashman, P. 1977. Northern (Bullock's) Oriole eats hummingbird. Western Birds 8:105
  • Baltosser, W.H. 1986. Nesting success and productivity of hummingbirds in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona. Wilson Bull. 98:353-367
  • Beebe. W. 1950. The home life of the bat falcon, Falco albogularis Daudin. Zoologica 35:69-86.
  • Bent, A.C. 1964. Life histories of North American cuckoos, goatsuckers, hummingbirds and their allies. Part II. Dover Publications, Inc., New York. [mammal predation on hummingbirds]
  • Butler, C. 1949. Hummingbird killed by praying mantis. Auk 66:286
  • Gamboa, G.J. 1977. Predation on Rufous Hummingbird by Wied's flycatcher. Auk 94:157-158
  • Graham, D.L. 1997. Spider webs and windows as potentially important sources of hummingbird mortality. J. Field Ornith. 68:98-101
  • Grant, J. 1959. Hummingbirds attacked by wasps. Canadian Field-Naturalist 73:174
  • Graves, G.R. 1978. Predation on hummingbirds by Oropendola. Condor 80:251.
  • Hildebrand, E.M. 1949. Hummingbird captured by praying mantis. Auk 66:286-287
  • Hoyt, S.F. 1960. A hummingbird in difficulty. Bird Banding 31:91
  • Lockwood, M.E. 1922. Hummingbird and bass. Bird-Lore 24:94
  • Lowery, G.H., Jr. 1938. Hummingbird in a Pigeon Hawk's stomach. Auk 55:280
  • Mayr, E. 1966. Hummingbird caught by Sparrow Hawk. Auk 83:644
  • McCrary, M.D., R.L. McKernan, R.W. Schreiber, W.D. Wagner, T.C. Sciarrotta. 1986. Avian mortality at a solar energy power plant. J. Field Ornith. 57:135-141
  • McNicholl, M.K. 1994. Additional records of birds caught on burdock. Ont. Birds 12:117–119
  • Miller, R.S. and C.L. Gass. 1985. Survivorship in hummingbirds: Is predation important? Auk 102:175-178
  • Morgan, R.T. 1947. Hummingbird killed by a frog. Condor 59:69
  • Murray, J.J. 1958. Ruby-throated Hummingbird captured by praying mantis. Wilson Bull. 70:381
  • Nealen, H.J. and P.M. Nealen. 2000. Ruby-throated Hummingbird death by Common Burdock (Arctium minus). Wilson Bull. 112:421-422.
  • Norris-Elye, L.S.T. 1944. Leopard frogs devouring small birds. Auk 61:644-645
  • Peters, H.J. 1963. Two observations on avian predation. Wilson Bull. 75:274
  • Sick, H.S. 1993. Birds in Brazil. Trans. by W. Belton. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 703 pp. [bird, snake, mammal predation on hummingbirds]
  • Spofford, S.H. 1976. Roadrunner catches hummingbird in flight. Condor 78:142
  • Stiles, F.G. 1978. Possible specialization for hummingbird-hunting in the Tiny Hawk. Auk 95:550-553
  • Stiles, F.G. 1992. Effects of a severe drought on the population biology of a tropical hummingbird. Ecol. 73:1375-1390
  • Stott, K. 1951. An Anna's Hummingbird caught in a spider web. Condor 53:49
  • Perry, P.S. and C.J. Dorff. 1985. Hummingbird mortality on electric fencelines using red plastic insulators. The Loon [journal of MN Ornithol. Union] 57:37-38
  • Unknown. date. Hummingbird impaled on fence. The Loon [journal of MN Ornithol. Union] 57:179
  • Unknown. date. A hummingbird rescue. The Loon [journal of MN Ornithol. Union] 61:48
  • Unknown. date. Jay kills hummingbird. The Loon [journal of MN Ornithol. Union] 42:118
  • Unknown. date. Dragonfly attacks and kills a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The Loon [journal of MN Ornithol. Union] 49:238
  • Woods, R.S. 1934. A hummingbird entangled in a spider web. Condor 36:242.
  • Wright, B.S. 1962. Baltimore Oriole kills hummingbird. Auk 79:112
  • Youth, H. 2001. Birds and Backyard Invaders. Birdwatcher's Digest 23:88-93 [4 hummers ensnared in burs of Common Burdock in Washington DC]

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External Links for Wintering Hummingbirds
(send your recommendations to me)

See the our main Maps / Tallies page for each species in any given year to see links to photos of individual wintering hummers available at that time.

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Identifying North American Hummingbirds
(send your recommendations to me)

WEBSITES

TRADITIONAL PUBLICATIONS

  • Baldridge, F.A. 1983. Plumage characteristics of juvenile Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Condor 85:102-103.
  • Baltosser, W.H. 1987. Age, species, and sex determination of four North American hummingbirds. North American Bird Bander 12:151-156. [Costa's, Anna's, Ruby-throated, & Black-chinned]
  • Baltosser, W.H. 1994. Age and sex determination in the Calliope Hummingbird. Western Birds 25:104-109.
  • Dittman. D.L., and S.W. Cardiff. 1999. Let's take another look - Ruby-throated Hummingbird and its "lookalikes." LOS News No. 188, Nov.
  • Dittman, D.L., and S.W. Cardiff. 2000. Let's take another look - "rufous" hummingbirds. LOS News No. 189, Feb.
  • Howell, S.N.G. 2003. Hummingbirds of North America: The Photographic Guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
  • Jones, E.G. 1992. Color variation in maturing male Rufous Hummingbirds. North American Bird Bander 17:119-120.
  • Leberman, Robert C. 1972. Identify, sex, and age it / Key to age and sex determination of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in autumn. Inland Bird Banding News 44:197-202.
  • Ortiz-Crespo, F.I. 1972. A new method to separate immature and adult hummingbirds. Auk 89:851-857. [Using bill corrugations to age hummingbirds HY/AHY]
  • Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 1. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. [order here]
  • Pyle, P., and S.N.G. Howell. 2000. Revised aging and sexing criteria for the Blue-throated hummingbird. North American Bird Bander 25:134-138.
  • Pyle, P., S.N.G. Howell, and G.M. Yanega. 1997. Molt, retained flight feathers and age in North American Hummingbirds, in Festschrift, A. The Era of Allan R. Phillips.
  • Stiles, F.G. 1972. Age and sex determination in Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds. Condor 74:25-32.
  • Wells, S., L.F. Baptista, S.F. Bailey, and H.M. Horblit. 1996. Age and sex determination in Anna's Hummingbird by means of tail pattern. Western Birds 27:204-206.
  • Williamson, S.L. 2002. Peterson Field Guide: Hummingbirds of North America. Houghton Mifflin. Boston. [order here]
  • Yanega, G.M., P. Pyle, and G.R. Geupel. 1997. The timing and reliability of bill corrugations for ageing hummingbirds. Western Birds 28:13-18.

VIDEOS

  • Advanced Birding Video Series: Hummingbirds of North America.. John W. Vanderpoel / Peregrine Video Productions, Niwot, CO. [order here]

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BENT LIFE HISTORIES  
Available online through "Wild Bird Omnibus" at Birdzilla.com

Allen's Hummingbird  Selasphorus sasin
Anna's Hummingbird  Calypte anna
Black-chinned Hummingbird  Archilochus alexandri
Blue-throated Hummingbird  Lampornis clemenciae
Broad-billed Hummingbird  Cynanthus latirostris
Broad-tailed Hummingbird  Selasphorus platycercus
Buff-bellied Hummingbird  Amazilia yucatanensis
Bumblebee Hummingbird  Atthis heloisa
Calliope Hummingbird  Stellula calliope
Costa's Hummingbird  Calypte costae
Lucifer Hummingbird  Calothorax lucifer
Magnificent Hummingbird  Eugenes fulgens
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  Archilochus colubris
Rufous Hummingbird  Selasphorus rufus
White-eared Hummingbird  Hylocharis leucotis
Xantus' Hummingbird  Hylocharis xantusii

Berylline Hummingbird, Cinnamon Hummingbird, & Violet-crowned Hummingbird apparently do not have Bent listings.

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More Species Profiles
(send your recommendations to me)

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Hummingbird "Songs," Wing Whistles, etc.
(send your recommendations to me)

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General Hummingbird Links
(send your recommendations to me)

Sites denoted by Red Swirl have a reciprocal link back to Trochilids (thanks!)

  • A Última Arca de Noé (The Last Noah's Ark) -- Award-winning Brazilian site about ecology, environment, biodiversity, environmental education, animals, birding, etc., in Portuguese & English.  Contains a nice section on hummingbirds of Brazil.
  • About.com -- Everything About Hummingbirds -- Good general interest information from "About.com guide" Christine Tarski.  Includes a very informative interview with my mentor Nancy Newfield.
  • Amazilia.net -- Family Trochilidae -- Photographs of hummingbirds of the world by hummingbird bander Allen Chartier. To see Allen's extensive collection of personal photos of other bird species, click here.
  • AnimalTrek.com -- Extensive collection of wildlife links to many different types of animals in the world, inluding a nice selection of hummingbird websites.
  • Articles about Hummingbirds -- Wayne Owen has collected links to a wide range of online hummingbird articles in scientific and popular sources.
  • BC Birding -- informative section on birds of British Columbia, Canada, provided by Michael Shepard. At this time it includes winter distribution maps of Anna's Hummingbirds in BC.
  • Bird Links to the World -- web site links to all families of birds, including hummingbirds
  • Cascadia Hummingbird Reports -- Graphically tracks arrivals of Rufous Hummingbirds in the Pacific Northwest each spring.  The web page opens by saying, "An exercise in participatory data collection aimed at examining the synchronization of Rufous Hummingbird arrival times and the flowering of native species in the Cascadia region." Hummingbird bander Mike Patterson provides maps, trend analysis, and related articles on this page.
  • Dyess Creek Hummingbird Photography Page -- a website by Eric Miller devoted to helping you be a better photographer of hummingbirds.
  • Florida Hummer Home Page -- Project by Steve Backes to list and illustrate the occurrence of all species of hummingbirds in the state of Florida.
  • Fossil Hummingbird -- Discovery of a pair of fossil hummingbirds from Germany date back to around 30-34 million years ago, suggesting that hummingbirds originally were not restricted to the New World as they currently are.
    Citation: [Mayr, G. 2004. Old world fossil record of modern-type hummingbirds. Science 304:861-864].
  • GardenWeb Hummingbird Forum -- online discussion group about, you guessed it, hummingbirds.
  • Georgia Hummer Study Group -- a nonprofit corporation dedicated to promote conservation of hummingbirds through studies and public education of hummingbirds in Georgia. A great web page for those interested in Georgia hummingbirds of all types...

Michael Wiegand's company, Habiscapes, assists individuals and corporations in creating or restoring native wildlife habitats, specializing in hummingbird and bird-related landscaping. Michael is an avid (and greatly appreciated) supporter of Idaho hummingbird research.
  • How Many Hummingbirds? -- Interested in getting an idea of how many hummers are feeding at your feeders each day?  This page might help.
  • Humabout -- Hummingbird photography by Wayne Owen. Nice shots of a nesting Costa's Hummingbird at the San Diego Zoo. Well worth a visit.
  • HumLit -- Hummingbird literature / citations compiled by Don Powers. Organized by topic and author.
  • Hummer / Bird Study Group (HBSG) -- Hummingbird bander Bob Sargent's creation, initially responsible for the vast majority of our winter hummingbird knowledge east of Louisiana. If you have a hummingbird in your yard after November 15 -- visit the HBSG web page and email one of the researchers. With your permission a licensed bander will come help you identify it by capturing it, measuring it, banding it. You often get the opportunity to release it! It is only through the involvement of people like you that banders are able to learn and share so much about the lives of "winter" hummingbirds.
  • Hummingbird Lovers Club
  • Hummingbirds -- "Ms. Chloe's Stuff" web page.  Very nicely presented with LOTS of information about hummingbirds -- focusing on the western US (particularly California.)  Links to hummingbird e-cards, sound files, maps, photos, etc.  Well worth a visit, particularly for anyone interested in a great introduction to hummingbirds.
 Hummingbirds.net

Hummingbird bander Lanny Chambers' award winning web page devoted to hummers.  Very impressively done.  Take a look and you can quickly understand why it's won awards!  Lanny also tracks and maps spring Ruby-throated Hummingbird migration on this site.
  • Hummingbirds in Houston -- Donald Ray Burger's page with info about hummers in Houston, TX, including plant & feeder tips and timing of migration through the area.
  • Hummingbirds of Casper, Wyoming -- great close-up photos of hummers visiting feeders.
  • Hummingbirds of Ecuador -- Beautiful poster showing 25 representative species of the country, by artist Juan Manuel Carrion.
  • Hummingbirds of Florida -- Fact Sheet SS-WIS-21, one of a series of the Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.
  • Hummingbird Pictures Guide -- A collection of hummingbird pictures and information on identifying and attracting them, including details on how to build your own hummingbird feeder.
  • Hummingbird Photos -- Shots by William Zittrich of hummers near his Southern California home.
  • Hummingbird Society -- "a nonprofit corporation (Delaware) organized in 1996 for the purpose of encouraging international understanding and conservation of hummingbirds..."  Nice, informative web page.
  • Hummingbird Taxonomy -- Genera and species list with citations by Alan P. Peterson.
  • Hummingbird Watching in Southeastern Arizona -- Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory (SABO) page providing a wide variety of information about Hummingbirds in Arizona.
  • Hummingbird Web Site -- Larry & Terrie Gates, managers of Cave Creek Ranch in Portal, AZ, have put together this top notch hummingbird web site.
  • HUMNET-L -- The friendly Humnet listserv, run out of Louisiana State University by J. Van Remsen, is for anyone who studies or just plain enjoys hummingbirds. It's original focus was on the Southeastern US, but participants hail from all over, literally.
  • Jared Peyton Wildlife Photography -- Award winning photographs of earliteen Jared Peyton, son of Humnetter Noel Peyton. Photos include leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird from Slidell, LA, Fall 2001.  Jared shares some great shots here -- a must visit site.
  • Jorg's Kolibri Homepage -- an impressive array of links to hummingbird sites, the majority of which contain hummingbird photos and related items, by Jörg Feldhusen.
  • Journey North: HUMMINGBIRD -- Interactive web page with lots of information about hummingbirds, particularly as it pertains to migration.
  • Louisiana Ornithology Society -- for more LA hummingbird information. Currently one can find at this site a nice ID article on Selasphorus hummingbirds written by Steve Cardiff and Donna Dittman.
  • Kentucky / Tennessee Winter Hummers -- Hummingbird bander Chris Sloan's tally of birds in that region.
  • Madera Canyon Hummingbirds -- a great resource for anyone planning to visit Santa Rita Lodge in Southeastern Arizona.
  • Michigan HummerNet -- Hummingbird bander Allen Chartier shares his study of hummingbirds in Michigan, based on observational data and banding.
  • Missouri's Hummingbirds -- Hummingbird bander Troy Gordon details the status of all hummingbirds species officially recognized by the Missouri Bird Records Committee.
  • NC Hummers -- Hummingbird bander Susan Campbell's banding project is explained in detail on this page, with lots of information on hummers of North Carolina. The web site is part of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
  • New England Hummers -- Whatever you want to know about hummingbirds in the New England States -- start here! A great page by Sharon Stichter.
  • Operation Rubythroat:  The Hummingbird Project -- "Everybody loves hummingbirds, and these tiny feathered dynamos can be used to help students learn about science, math, geography, culture, and virtually any academic discipline. Operation RubyThroat is an award-winning cross-disciplinary project in which K-12 students, teachers, and others in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central America collaborate to study behavior and distribution of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Teachers are especially invited to participate in this Web-based project, operated by Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History near York SC." -- Hummingbird bander Bill Hilton Jr.
  • Sheri Williamson' s Homepage -- Hummingbird bander Sheri Williamson is one of the top Southeastern Arizona hummingbird experts and author of the highly regarded Peterson Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America. She is also co-founder of SABO (Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory) with husband and hummingbird bander Tom Wood.
  • Things in My Yard -- Priscilla's homepage with backyard gardening hints for birds, and a variety of other interesting links.
  • TinyBirds.com -- Hummingbird page by Jenny Rasmussen, full of links to hummingbird artwork, photos, etc.
  • Link to Surfbirds.com

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Hummingbird WEB CAMS & Home VIDEOS
(send your recommendations to me)

  • ColibriCam -- Cloud Forest Alive web page from Monteverde, Costa Rica.
  • HummFeederCam (seasonal) -- James Reserve Wildlife Observatory, Idyllwild (Riverside County), southeastern California.
  • Golden Touch Farm Hummingbird Videos -- collection of nice Ruby-throated Hummingbird videos from an Alpaca farm in Westport, Massachusetts.
    Guy's Astro Page (seasonal hummer webcam - Mar-Jul)

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Hummingbird BOOKS and COMMERCIAL VIDEOS
There are tons out there; these are the crem de la crem, as far as I'm concerned.
Opinions expressed are my own, of course, and I welcome your comments and suggestions.

BOOKS

  • Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America (Peterson Field Guide Series published by Houghton Mifflin; 2002) by Sheri Williamson -- top rate field guide by experienced hummingbird bander, lecturer, and author. Layout is in the popular Peterson Field Guide style, which some may find cumbersome. Photos are by necessity small in this format. Regardless, this is a must-have book.
  • Hummingbirds of North America: The Photographic Guide (Princeton University Press [formerly published by Academic Press]; 2003) by Steve N.G. Howell -- another top rate identification guide that is invaluable to the hummingbird enthusiast. Photos are large and generally well-detailed with excellent accompanying text. Easy to understand and interesting to read. Another must-have.
  • Hummingbird Gardens: Attracting Nature's Jewels to your Backyard (Chapters Publishing, Ltd.; 1996) by Nancy L. Newfield and Barbara Nielsen -- anyone who wishes to attract hummingbirds to their garden the natural way will love this book, which is divided into regions of the country. No matter where you live in the USA you'll find specific suggestions for hummingbird-attracting plants in your area.
  • The Wildlife Gardener's Guide to Hummingbirds and Songbirds from the Tropics (Harper Resource, 2003) by Susan Day, Ron Rovansek, Jack Griggs -- This simple guide is one of my favorites (along with Newfield / Nielsen, above) when it comes to hummingbird gardening. The authors really know their stuff, and it shows. Though the title includes songbirds, this guide is weighted heavily toward hummers, which is fine by me!.

VIDEOS

  • Hooked on Hummingbirds (Avian Video Center) by Tom Kaminski -- excellent, affordable video with incredible footage (much of which was new to me!) and informative, witty narration. At the end of this video you will not only be educated, you'll have a renewed appreciation and a working knowledge of most of the regular hummingbirds of the USA, and even a few from beyond the border. A portion of the proceeds of this video support hummingbird banding research IF your order directly from Stacy Peterson. 53 minutes. Available in DVD and VHS.
  • A Mother Hummingbird's Life by Dan True -- Great footage documenting the nesting of Black-chinned Hummingbirds in south Texas. You'll see things you've never seen before and leave marveling at the wonders of hummingbird reproduction. 25 minutes. Available in VHS.
  • Advanced Birding Video Series: Hummingbirds of North America (Peregrine Video Productions) by John Vanderpoel. This highly informative series narrated by Jon Dunn and written by Sheri Williamson now has another member. Birders can expect Hummingbirds to contain the same detailed identification information and helpful photography as other videos in this series. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this 3-hour video supports the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory. Available in VHS & DVD.

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Miscellaneous Birding Links
(send your recommendations to me)

Untold quanties of birding links are available at a host of other internet sites.
The links below are select links that are personally of interest to Stacy, or are reciprical links ( Red Swirl) back to Trochilids (thanks!).

  • AVISYS -- hands down my top choice for "listing" software.
  • Red SwirlBeginning Birdwatching by Jonathan Leger. Website full of helpful links for those just getting started in birdwatching.
  • Birdingonthe.net -- Jack Siler's incredibly contribution to birding! Part of this resource allows birders to read recent emails from various state and regional birding listservs, as well as nearly all the Rare Bird Alerts in the USA.
  • Dean Birders -- Birding resource designed for folks who aren't able to get out and about on their own -- go birding vicariously with Dean Birders!
  • IdahoBirds.net -- The online resource for wild birds and birding in the state of Idaho
  • Shreveport Bird Study Group -- Northwest Louisiana organization promoting conservation, birds and birding in that region.

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Flowers / Nectar / Hummingbirds...
The composition of hummingbird nectar in nature has been of interest to me for a while.
Here I attempt to provide citations where anyone wishing further information on this topic may turn.
(send your recommendations to me)

Articles from all but the last few years in the journals Wilson's Bulletin, Journal of Field Ornithology, Auk, Condor, North American Bird Bander, Studies in Avian Biology, and Pacific Coast Avifauna may be available as PDF files through SORA: Searchable Ornithological Research Archive. Search by the authors name and a keyword in the title. Journal of Experimental Biology articles may be found here.

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Trochilids © 2000 - 2006 Stacy Jon Peterson