HUMMINGBIRD SITE OF CANADA - HOME OF JEWEL OF THE NORTH
  • Home
  • Products
  • Product Reviews
  • Migration / Report a Sighting
  • Humming Blog
  • Garden Blog
  • Flowers
  • Hummingbird Flicks
  • Contact
  • Retailer Info.
  • Archives

Humming Blog

It's All About the Looks

3/17/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
With just the slightest tilt of his head, those little sparkles of ruby color will turn into a glowing patch of metallic brilliance. 
     The adult males will be the first to arrive in regions all across North America. Their appearance can dramatically change mainly due to the amount of light that reflects off the feathers. You may think you are getting different birds each time, and you may very well, but the same bird can look very different in different light. The same male can show just a black throat, to a slight hint of red sparkle, to the most beautiful ruby color you've ever seen. Especially in Spring time, adult males have the most perfect feathers. Those spikey pin feathers that can look ragged and rough in late fall soon push out a brand new look, just ready to impress for Spring mating. As the season goes on, those brilliant ruby throats slowly break down, losing that glistening ruby sheen to a point where they show more of a duller orange appearance in late Summer and Fall. 
With the migration in full swing, gardens across the Southern U.S. are now seeing their first Rubies. Expect the adult males to show up first, and the females soon to follow. 
     The images are of the same bird with just a slight difference in the tilt of his head and a morning stretch in the tail feathers. They also flare out the tail to intimidate. He's Ziggy, an adult male Ruby-throat hummingbird. I hope to see him again this Spring, but he has to be getting near retirement after 3 years of returns to our garden. 
     N.E. of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. May 2016 and May 2017.

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    March 2014
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    Annuals
    Canada
    Flowers
    Gardening
    How To Attract Hummingbirds
    How To Attract Hummingbirds In Canada
    Hummingbird Books
    Hummingbird Ebooks
    Hummingbird Guidebook
    Hummingbird Migration
    Hummingbirds
    Indoor Gardening
    Indoor Planting
    Jewel Of The North
    Michael Wiens
    Migration
    Perennials
    Springtime
    Start Your Seeds

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Products
  • Product Reviews
  • Migration / Report a Sighting
  • Humming Blog
  • Garden Blog
  • Flowers
  • Hummingbird Flicks
  • Contact
  • Retailer Info.
  • Archives