Dip and Sip - Ruby-throated Hummingbird
by Nikolyn McDonald
Title
Dip and Sip - Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Artist
Nikolyn McDonald
Medium
Photograph
Description
While hummers are a common sight in the western part of the United States, the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the only one commonly seen here in Nebraska and points east.
It's September now and late in the season for them here in the Midwest. Most of the males, the ones with the showy red throats from which this bird gets its name, have already moved on. The females stayed behind to tend the kids. Since males don't get the full red throat until winter, this one could well be a juvenile male; the throats of females are more nearly solid white while the throats of juvenile males, though white, are streaked with black or green.
The ruby throated hummingbird prefers trumpet-shaped flowers and has a long, forked tongue that it pokes deep into a flower many times per second; however, other flowers with bright pink, orange and red petals also attract them. This one is feeding in the zinnia (Zinnia elegans) patch in my garden.
Featured: Camera Art
Uploaded
September 24th, 2021
Statistics
Viewed 645 Times - Last Visitor from Albuquerque, NM on 04/18/2024 at 7:14 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet