The Coolidge examiner., 1934-06-01


bearer. the blll Is nearly Eve inches
long. being longer than the rest OF
the bird Another has n bin less
than a quarter of an inch long.
Variations In Form.
Most hummers have straight bills
but there Is the slrklebill. In which
the bin Is curved 80 that Is outline
forms onethird % q circle. Such
adaptations allow feeding In spe
cial flowers. the sword bearer fre-
quentinE long. trumpet bios
SONS, while the siekleblil Is partial
10 certain orchids. palms. and 9th
or peculiar blossoms. where the
throat OF the flower Is curved.
Variations In the form of the tail
IN this group are equally remark.
able. Most species have the fcaih.
ers of ordinary length. forming n
square or slightly notched tail. but
IN contrast 20 these there are the
rnckei-iailed hummers In which
the lateral feathers are greatly
elongated. with the tip narrowed
and then expanded 81 that II re-
semhlcs racket. The long tailed
hummers have tails three or four
times as long as the body. the long.
est feathers being seven inches In
length.
II Is usual for male hummlng
birds 10 have q spot of brilliant lri-
descent color on the throat with
this there are often peculiar fcatii-
er developments In the form OF
cresis. or gorgeis. that provide In
crea sci surface for these areas Of
brilliant color. and often produce
most remarkable and extraordinary
appearances.
The nests - humming birds arc
made of soft plant downs, formed
into a cup-shaped structure that In
most instances Is placed firmly on
some small twlg or ranch. some
times near the grCsnd and some
times high above Il. The outside
ot this structure usually ls covered
with bits % bark and moss bound
IN place with spider web. so that
the nest Is inconsplcuous. resem-
bling merely kno, on limb.
Some species attach their nests 10
leaves or 20 the ends of branches.
SO that they are semipendent.
Two white eggs. resembling
pearls against their background OF
plant down. are laid by most spe-
eles whose nesting habits are
known. Occasionally one egg con
stituies a set. and rarely three.
Though large In comparison 20 the
sire OF the parent. In the case OF
the smaller hummers. the eggs are
very tiny. Those Of the veryRin
hummer of Haiti. a species that Is
barely larger than the smallest spe-
cles known. measure less than halt
an inch long by one-thlrd OF an
Inch in diameter.
Eat Nectar and Insects
That humming birds fed on the
nectar Of flowers is universally
known. but the part that nectar
plays IN their diet is not so great
as Is popularity believed. since
large numbers Of tiny flies. bees.
beetles. and other insects. as well
as spiders. are captured In the flow-
er corollas.
These tiny birds are hungry for
meat as well as for sweets. The
stomachs ot the various species
that have been examined 10 learn
something of their food have been
filed with fragments OF insects and
spiders. After the nutriment has
been extracted from these. the In
dlgestIble parts are formed into
tiny pellets that are regurgItated
To empty the stomach for another
meal.
Some kinds Of hummers. partIcu-
larly orest-lnhabiting forms, pay
little attention 10 blossoms. but
spend much of their time In CLEAN.
lng over the covered bark OF
the trees OF their forest haunt
searching for animal food. Others
have been seen feeding on tiny
gnats gathered In whlrllng clouds
in the air. The hummers hang with
rapidly vibrating wings. selling the
minute insects one by one in flight
and whirllng about with the great
est celebrity In securing their prey.
Flowers, however. are attractive
to most humming birds. In me
semiarid sections Of western Argen-
tina. n red-howered eplphyte is
highly attractive to them. The gen
eral tone OF vegetation In these
desert areas is gray-green. so that
the red color OF the flowers stands
ont prominently at a distance. II
Is evident that they are sought by
/ the hummers. rs the birds fly d.
rectIy from clump to clump even
when these are separated by a con-
siderable distance.
In their feeding. hummers, Ike
bees. carry pollen from blossom TO
blossom and some species are I'M
poriant agents In the fertilization
| OF flowers