Range

Northern and Central America is the native home of the ruby-throated hummingbird. Here they can be found in the following countries – Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Ric, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States.

Each year they perform a migration travelling from Central America as far north as Canada. This may see them travel as much as 3,000km (1,900 miles) with a non-stop portion covering 850km (530miles) across the Gulf of Mexico. Before embarking on the migration they will fatten up and store energy to ensure they can cover the long distance.

Habitat

They make their home in forest, open woodlands, meadows, grasslands, and shrubland. Some can be seen in man-made areas such as gardens and parks.

Reproduction

Males return to the breeding grounds first after the winter migration and establish a breeding territory. They perform a courtship display in which they will hover in a U-shaped arc in front of the female. On each dive he will make a whirring noise. Males are not involved in care for the young and leaving after mating.

The female will then work to create a nest in a tree or large shrub. This nest is a cup made out of grasses, plant fibers, spider web and plant down. To hide it in the tree they will cover the outside with lichen and dead leaves.

In to this nest two white eggs are deposited. Only the female incubates these. The short incubation lasts just 11-16 days.

Only the female will feed the young. The young are primarily feed on insects as nectar does not provide the protein needed for growth and development.

While the female is caring for this clutch she may start to work on a second nest where she will raise her next clutch. Between two and three clutches are raised each year.

By 20-22 days old the young will fledge and take their first flight.

Sexual maturity is reached at 1 year old with chicks breeding in the season after they were born.

Behavior

Hummingbirds are good flyers and can move up, down and backwards along with the ability to hover in mid-air. While in flight their wings may beat up to 200 times per second.

When moving around on land they struggle to walk or hop due to their feet being small and weak.

Adults are solitary only coming together to mate.

They are active by day. On cold nights they will enter a torpor which lowers their body temperature and slows body function to help conserve energy.

Their vocalization is a rapid, squeaky chip.

Predators and Threats

Natural predators of the ruby-throated hummingbird are birds of prey such as jays and loggerhead shrikes along with domestic cats.

They were previously collected by humans for the pet trade. Since this they have been given protections and their population has remained steady.

Quick facts

Their flight skills have inspired new designs for small helicopters which are able to hover in mid-air.