by Jill
14 June 2011 | 01:37
Love is in the air, although for the male Rufous Hummingbird, it only lasts a fleeting second. Hummers are one of the few bird species where the female does all the work. We have some great birding books at the gallery right now. According to "Hummingbirds and Butterflies" by Bill Thompson III and Connie Toops, Mrs. (or should we say Ms.) Rufous builds the nest, incubates the eggs, feeds the babies, and raises them all on her own. She is a busy single parent, while Mr. Rufous is the epitome of a "Deadbeat Dad".
We have super functional feeders in right now, ranging in price from $19 to $49. See them in action as you stroll through our Sculpture Garden. Don't be surprised if you are dive-bombed by Mr. Rufous; besides being a slacker parent, he is also very territorial. He guards his feeder, and swoops down on anyone who gets too close; protecting his precious nectar. Remember; the nectar recipe is 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. Bring it to a boil and allow it to cool before filling your feeder. Keeping nectar fresh and feeder full will keep hummers happy, as well as giving us hours of entertainment and much joy!
