Ruby-throated hummingbird
Ruby-throated hummingbird | |
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Male | |
Female | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Clade: | Strisores |
Order: | Apodiformes |
Family: | Trochilidae |
Genus: | Archilochus |
Species: | A. colubris
|
Binomial name | |
Archilochus colubris | |
Approximate distribution map
Breeding
Migration
Non-breeding
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Synonyms | |
Trochilus colubris Linnaeus, 1758 |
The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is a species of hummingbird that generally spends the winter in Central America, Mexico, and Florida, and migrates to Canada and other parts of Eastern North America for the summer to breed. It is the most common hummingbird in eastern North America, having population estimates of about 35 million in 2021.
Taxonomy
The ruby-throated hummingbird was
Description
This hummingbird is from 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in) long and has an 8 to 11 cm (3.1 to 4.3 in) wingspan. Weight can range from 2 to 6 g (0.071 to 0.212 oz), with males averaging 3.4 g (0.12 oz) against the slightly larger female which averages 3.8 g (0.13 oz).[10][11] Adults are metallic green above and grayish white below, with near-black wings. Their bill, at up to 2 cm (0.79 in), is long, straight, and slender.
Hummingbird legs are short with no knees, and have
(image) with ridged inner surfaces to aid gripping onto flower stems or petals. The middle toe is around 0.6 cm (0.24 in). The ruby-throated hummingbird can only shuffle to move along a branch, though it can scratch its head and neck with its feet.[10][14]The species is
Population and status
As of 2021, there were 34-36 million ruby-throated hummingbirds over their eastern North American breeding range, making this species the most populous of North American hummingbirds.[1][18] Despite substantial population growth from 1970 through the early 21st century, numbers of ruby-throated birds declined by 17% over the census reported in 2021.[19] According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species in 2023, ruby-throated hummingbirds are listed as least-concern for risk of extinction,[1] while numerous other common North American hummingbirds are in significant decline.[19]
Vocalization
The vocalizations of ruby-throated hummingbirds are rapid, squeaky chirps, which are used primarily for threats. For example, males may vocalize to warn another male that has entered his territory.
During the courtship displays, the male makes a rapid tik-tik tik-tik tik-tik sound with his wings.[20] The sound is produced both during the shuttle display, at each end of the side-to-side flight. Also, the sound is made during dive displays. A second, rather faint, repeated whining sound is sometimes produced with the outer tail-feathers during the dive, as the male flies over the female, spreading and shutting the tail as he does so.
Distribution and habitat
The breeding habitat is throughout most of the Eastern United States and south-central and southeastern Canada in deciduous and pine forests and forest edges, orchards, and gardens. The female builds a nest in a protected location in a shrub or a tree. Of all hummingbirds in the United States, this species has the largest breeding range.[10]
The ruby-throated hummingbird is migratory, spending most of the winter in Florida, southern Mexico and Central America,[21] as far south as extreme western Panama,[22] and the West Indies. During migration, some birds embark on a nonstop 900-mile journey across the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean from Panama or Mexico to the eastern United States.[21] The bird breeds throughout the eastern United States, east of the 100th meridian, and in southern Canada, particularly Ontario, in eastern and mixed deciduous and broadleaved forest.[23][24] In winter, it is seen mostly in Mexico and Florida.
During migration southward in autumn along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, older male and female birds were better prepared for long-distance flight than first-year birds by having higher body weights and larger fuel loads.[25]
Behavior and ecology
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are solitary. Adults of this species are not social, other than during courtship (which lasts a few minutes); the female also cares for her offspring. Both males and females of any age are aggressive toward other hummingbirds. They may defend territories, such as a feeding territory, attacking and chasing other hummingbirds that enter.
As part of their spring migration, portions of the population fly from the
Hummingbirds have one of the highest metabolic rates of any animal, with heart rates up to 1260 beats per minute, breathing rate of about 250 breaths per minute even at rest, and oxygen consumption of about 4 ml oxygen/g/hour at rest.[26] During flight, hummingbird oxygen consumption per gram of muscle tissue is approximately 10 times higher than that seen for elite human athletes.[21]
They feed frequently while active during the day. When temperatures drop, particularly on cold nights, they may conserve energy by entering hypothermic torpor.[21]
Flight
Hummingbirds have many skeletal and flight muscle adaptations which allow great agility in flight. Muscles make up 25–30% of their body weight, and they have long, blade-like wings that, unlike the wings of other birds, connect to the body only from the shoulder joint.
The main wing bone, the
A hummingbird's ability to hover is due to its small mass, high wingbeat frequency and relatively large margin of mass-specific power available for flight. Several anatomical features contribute further, including proportionally massive major flight muscles (
Hummingbirds achieve ability to support their weight and hover from wing beats creating lift on the downstroke of a wing flap and also on the upstroke in a ratio of 75%:25%, respectively, similarly to an insect.[29][30] Hummingbirds and insects gain lift during hovering partially through inversion of their cambered wings during an upstroke.[30] During hovering, hummingbird wings beat up to 80 times per second.[31]
Food and feeding
Nectar from
Young birds are fed insects for protein since nectar is an insufficient source of protein for the growing birds.[22]
Breeding
As typical for their family, ruby-throated hummingbirds are thought to be polygynous. Polyandry and polygynandry may also occur. They do not form breeding pairs, with males departing immediately after the reproductive act and females providing all parental care.[33]
Males arrive at the breeding area in the spring and establish a
The nest is usually constructed on a small, downward-sloping tree limb 3.1 to 12.2 m (10 to 40 ft) feet above the ground. Favored trees are usually
Females lay two (with a range of 1 to 3) white eggs about 12.9 mm × 8.5 mm (0.51 in × 0.33 in) in size and produce one to two broods each summer.
Longevity and mortality
The oldest known ruby-throated hummingbird to be banded was 9 years and 1 month of age. Almost all hummingbirds of 7 years or more in age are females, with males rarely surviving past 5 years of age. Reasons for higher mortality in males may include loss of weight during the breeding season due to the high energetic demands of defending a territory followed by energetically costly migration.[21]
A variety of animals prey on hummingbirds given the opportunity. Due to their small size, hummingbirds are vulnerable even to
Gallery
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Brooklyn Museum - Ruby-throated hummingbird andtrumpet creeper(Campsis radicans) - John J. Audubon
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Female ruby-throated hummingbird nectaring oncoral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), North Carolina
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Male ruby-throated hummingbird perched on a branch, displaying its tongue, East Texas
References
- ^ a b c "Ruby-throated hummingbird". International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 120.
- ^ Catesby, Mark (1729). The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands (in English and French). Vol. 1. London: W. Innys and R. Manby. p. 65.
- ^ Edwards, George (1743). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Vol. Part 1. London: Printed for the author at the College of Physicians. p. 38, Plate 38.
- ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 134.
- ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Reichenbach, Ludwig (1854). "Aufzählung der Colibris Oder Trochilideen in ihrer wahren natürlichen Verwandtschaft, nebst Schlüssel ihrer Synonymik". Journal für Ornithologie (Supplement) (in German). 1: 1–24 [13].
- ^ Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2021). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 11.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Ruby-throated hummingbird". All About Birds – Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology. 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ Kirschbaum, Kari. "ADW: Archilochus colubris: INFORMATION". Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ Hannemann, Emily (12 May 2022). "Hummingbird feet: Can hummingbirds walk?". Birds&Blooms. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Do hummingbirds have feet?". Wild Bird Scoop. 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "John James Audubon's Description of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird". Rubythroat.org. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Hummingbird: external appearance, ageing, sexing". Ruby-Throat.org. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ Williamson (2001)
- JSTOR 1369034– via Searchable Ornithological Research Archive.
- ^ Stonich, Kathryn (26 April 2021). "Hummingbirds of the United States: A Photo List of All Species". American Bird Conservancy. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ PMID 34526619.
- S2CID 12248122.
- ^ PMID 16351726.
- ^ a b c d e Robinson et al. (1996)
- ^ Harris, M.; Naumann, R.; Kirschbaum, K. "Archilochus colubris". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
- ^ "The Ontario hummingbird project: migration and range maps". The Ontario Hummingbird Project. 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ^ .
- S2CID 21328995.
- ^ PMID 22171086.
- S2CID 9349200.
- ^ S2CID 9719885.
- ^ S2CID 4427424.
- ^ Gill V (30 July 2014). "Hummingbirds edge out helicopters in hover contest". BBC News. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Audubon Field Guide". Audubon. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ Lanny Chambers. "Ruby-throated Hummingbird". Hummingbirds.net. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- PMID 30563977.
- ^ Kirschbaum, Kari. "ADW: Archilochus colubris: INFORMATION". Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Hummingbirds: Predators 1". Rubythroat.org. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Praying Mantis Makes Meal of a Hummingbird | Bird Watcher's Digest". Birdwatchersdigest.com. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ Weidensaul, Scott, T. R. Robinson, R. R. Sargent and M. B. Sargent. 2013. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Further reading
- Robinson, T. R., R. R. Sargent, and M. B. Sargent (1996). Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). In The Birds of North America. No. 204 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
- Williamson, S. L. (2001). A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America (Peterson Field Guide Series). Houghton Mifflin. Co., Boston, MA.
External links
- Tracking migration – Journey North
- Ruby-throated hummingbird nest images (day-by-day)
- Ruby-throated hummingbird – Archilochus colubris – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Operation rubythroat: The Hummingbird Project
- "Ruby-throated hummingbird media". Internet Bird Collection.
- Videos of ruby-throated hummingbirds
- Ruby-throated hummingbird photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)