Red is a color that somehow draws a hummingbird's attention very quickly. This fact is helpful to hummers because so many of the flowers they feed upon are red, and is helpful to humans because it makes it easy for us to bring hummers in. Of course, during breeding season a feeder must be in appropriate habitat for hummers to find it. But during spring migration, before many flowers are in bloom and the birds are passing over huge, unfamiliar areas between winter and summer homes, they often notice red feeders even in big urban areas. Journey North's science writer Laura Erickson sometimes counts migrating birds at overlooks along Lake Superior, and finds more hummingbirds than other counters at the same site, perhaps because she wears a red hat.
Many snakes kill birds in the tropics.
Other snakes crawl along tree branches at night trying to sense warm-blooded bodies while hummingbirds are fast asleep. There are many more spider species, including some huge ones, and many insects large enough to take a 3.5-gram hummingbird. Preening helps keep the feathers clean and aligned properly, making hummingbirds more aerodynamic and their wings more efficient. Please take a few minutes to share your suggestions and comments in our Year-End Evaluation Form below. The information you provide at the end of each year is the single most important tool used to guide our planning.