Do Hummingbirds Hum?: Fascinating Answers to Questions about Hummingbirds

Contents

Contents Preface xi Acknowledgments xv ONE Hummingbird Basics 1 1 What is a hummingbird? 1 2 How do hummingbirds differ from other birds? 2 3 Where in the world are hummingbirds found? 3 4 When did hummingbirds evolve? 7 5 How are hummingbirds classified? 12 6 What are the differences between typical or trochilid hummingbirds and hermits? 13 7 How many species of hummingbirds are there in the world? 14 8 How long do hummingbirds live? 15 9 Which are the smallest and largest hummingbirds? 16 TWO Systems and Senses 19 1 Are hummingbirds intelligent? 19 2 What do hummingbirds eat? 21 3 Why do hummingbirds need to eat so much? 26 4 How do hummingbirds know which flowers have nectar? 27 5 How do hummingbirds digest their food? 28 6 How do hummingbirds get rid of the water from all that nectar they drink? 30 7 Why do hummingbirds have such long bills? 31 8 How can hummingbirds be so active? 33 9 Are hummingbirds warm blooded or cold blooded? 36 10 How fast does a hummingbird’s heart beat? 37 11 How do hummingbirds conserve energy? 37 12 Can hummingbirds walk? 39 13 Do hummingbirds have a good sense of smell? 39 14 Do hummingbirds hear well? 41 15 Do hummingbirds have good eyesight? 43 16 Do hummingbirds hum? 45 17 Do hummingbirds sing? 47 THREE Feathers and Bones 50 1 How fast does a hummingbird beat its wings? 50 2 How does a hummingbird hover? 52 3 How is the hummingbird’s skeleton adapted to the bird’s life style? 55 4 How many feathers does a hummingbird have? 57 5 How do birds keep their feathers so smooth and the wing feathers in perfect shape? 60 6 When do hummingbirds molt? 62 7 Are all hummingbirds brilliantly colored? 64 8 What are iridescent feathers? 66 9 If I find a hummingbird feather, what can it tell me? 67 FOUR Reproduction 69 1 How does a hummingbird attract a mate? 69 2 How do hummingbirds protect their mating territory? 71 3 Are hummingbirds monogamous? 73 4 How do hummingbirds reproduce? 74 5 Can hummingbirds of one species mate with those of another species? 74 6 How big is a hummingbird’s egg? 75 7 How many young do hummingbirds have each year? 77 8 How long does it take for hummingbird eggs to hatch? 81 vi CONTENTS 9 Do both hummingbird parents take care of the nest? 81 10 Why are hummingbird nests so hard to find? 82 11 How does a hummingbird female feed herself while incubating eggs? 82 12 How does a hummingbird female feed her nestlings and what do they eat? 83 13 How quickly do hummingbirds mature? 84 14 Will young hummingbirds return to a nest after they’ve left it? 86 FIVE Flight and Migration 87 1 How far can a hummingbird fly? 87 2 How are hummingbirds able to fly so far? 90 3 What tells a hummingbird when to migrate? 92 4 How do hummingbirds find their way during migration? 93 5 Do all hummingbirds migrate? 94 SIX Dangers and Defenses 97 1 What are the natural predators of hummingbirds? 97 2 How do hummingbirds defend themselves and their food supply? 98 3 Do hummingbirds get sick? 99 4 Do hummingbirds get parasites? 102 5 How are flower mites dependent on hummingbirds? 103 6 What dangers do hummingbirds face in the environment? 103 7 What dangers do hummingbirds face from people? 105 8 How can I get a hummingbird safely out of my house if it has accidentally entered? 106 SEVEN Attracting and Feeding 108 1 Are hummingbirds friendly? 108 2 How can I attract hummingbirds to my garden or feeder? 109 3 Will hummingbirds feed only from red flowers? 110 CONTENTS vii 4 What type of hummingbird feeder is best? 110 5 How do I make nectar to put in my hummingbird feeder? 113 6 Where is the best place to hang my hummingbird feeder? 114 7 How does a hummingbird find my feeder? 115 8 How can I discourage insects and animals from visiting my feeder? 115 9 Will my feeder interfere with hummingbirds’ natural impulse to migrate? 119 10 Will a hummingbird return to my feeder the following year? 119 EIGHT Identifying and Photographing 121 1 What is the best way to identify hummingbirds? 121 2 What features distinguish one hummingbird species from another? 124...