# I saw a hummingbird today. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559 "2002-08-12T17:02:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/1 "2002-08-12T17:02:57Z")
I haven’t seen one since I was a child. They always seemed mythical to me almost like a unicorn. I’ve been feeling down lately, and it made my day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/2 "2002-08-12T17:18:03Z")
I just got back from Colorado, and there are sooooo many hummingbirds up there…I took tons of pictures. They’re so darn cute. I’m still trying to figure out the species of one that I saw; he had a bright orange throat and a green back, and he looked a lot like an Allen’s Hummingbird, but they’re not supposed to be in Colorado, near as I can tell. Ever held one? Once, at my parents’ old house in New Mexico, a hummingbird got trapped in the somewhat-enclosed back patio area and couldn’t figure out how to get out, so I caught him to release him. They weigh exactly nothing. So tiny and fragile-seeming… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/3 "2002-08-12T18:03:14Z")
My kind of thread! **Max** , the most common kind of hummer in Colorado is the [Broad-tailed](http://portalproductions.com/h/brodt.htm), which is a close relative of the Allen’s. Even with the thousands of hours I’ve spent watching hummers over the years, the way they move still fascinates me. There’s a cabin I go to in the western highlands of Panama where there are always hummingbird feeders out. There is a never-ending battle going on between [Violet Sabrewing](http://home.swipnet.se/zoothera/fotosidor/violet_sabrewing.htm) and a [Magnificent Hummingbird](http://portalproductions.com/h/big-magnificent.htm) over them, with lots of [White-throated Mountain-Gems](http://www.greglasley.net/wtmtngm.html) and a couple other species trying to steal a sip too. **hillbilly queen** , hummingbird names often do invoke their mythical qualities: there are fairies, woodnymphs, sylphs, and sunangels. My favorites are the [Coquettes](http://www.hbw.com/hbw/volume5/plate506.html). There are also emeralds, rubies, sapphires, topazes, brilliants, comets, and sunbeams. Incidently, the hummer you saw in Tennessee will probably fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico to Yucatan in a month or so. [Colibri](http://www.hbw.com/hbw/volume5/plate504.html) ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/4 "2002-08-12T18:25:45Z")
As a matter of fact, I got a picture of one yesterday - my first. it’s through the window, and with my back up camera. A bad picture overall. But [here it is.](http://home.attbi.com/~pattis_garden2/blog_hummingbird.jpg) Uh… the hummingbird is by the bright orange lily - hard to see, I know. A few years ago I saw one resting on a pile of landscaping rocks we had - warming up on the heat of the rocks, I suppose. He let me get fairly close, and I looked at him for a long time before he finally had enough of me and zoomed off. It was so cool to be that close, I wish I had my camera then. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/5 "2002-08-12T18:26:26Z")
When I was very young I was told that hummingbirds were how the wee folk (Gram never called them Fairies) appeared to those without the second site. I remember spending hours on Gram’s porch trying with all my little heart to see with the second site. (Gram was no dummy, it kept me out of her hair for hours.) Last summer I was half asleep on a friend’s porch and heard a loud buzzing. I figured it was a bee, but opened my eyes to find a hummingbird flying about a foot from my face, back and forth, checking me out. I confess that it was a little unnerving to have it so close to my eyes, but still cool none-the-less. Sorry to hear that you are feeling low - sending warm thoughts your way. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/6 "2002-08-12T18:56:39Z")
Well, what the heck, since **Boscibo** shared a picture…I only have three up right now, but here they are: [Hummer with fanned-out tail](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/maxtorque/broadtail.jpg) [Hummer diving in for a drink](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/maxtorque/divingin.jpg) [Two hummers](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/maxtorque/twobirds.jpg) And here’s a couple of blurry shots of that orange-throated fellow. So you really think he’s a regular broad-tailed? I haven’t seen a picture of a broad-tailed with a throat that orange…and the color is true, the orange throat and green cap were exactly as I saw them. [Mystery bird 1](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/maxtorque/mysterybird1.jpg)[Mystery bird 2](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/maxtorque/mysterybird2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![p\_cific\_812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@p\_cific\_812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/p_cific_812)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/7 "2002-08-12T19:00:42Z")
Here on the plains south of Denver we’ve had them around for about three weeks now. Its my experience that they come through during July and August on the way to wherever it is they go. We faithfully put feeders out on the porch each year and they show up. We have about 4 resident in the area at the moment. Their style of motion continues to fascinate me as well, **Colibri**. Its fun to sit quietly on the porch and watch them flit about-- particularly when they scuffle amongst themselves for dominance of a feeder. They seem to be quite territorial. I take pictures, but on 35mm alas. No links here! Glad the little buggers brightened-up your day. Feed them and they might hang around for a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/8 "2002-08-12T19:24:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\* And here’s a couple of blurry shots of that orange-throated fellow. So you really think he’s a regular broad-tailed? I haven’t seen a picture of a broad-tailed with a throat that orange…and the color is true, the orange throat and green cap were exactly as I saw them._\* Well to my eyes, in your pictures the throat looks more rose-red than orange - also that’s how it reads in Photoshop too. There does seem to be an orangish highlight in one, but that will depend on the light. The broad white “collar” below the throat suggests Broad-tailed to me also. While the photos are too blurry to be sure, I don’t see anything to make me think it isn’t a Broad-tailed. Was it making a whistling noise with its wings as it flew? That’s a good mark of a male Broad-tailed. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/9 "2002-08-12T19:43:18Z")
I don’t think I’ve seen any around here, although I think there are some. They were pretty common in Santa Cruz, where I used to live. There was this one kind that had head feathers that appeared different depending on the angle—from the side they were jet black, but when it turned to face you head-on they were bright pink! Quite shocking the first time. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/10 "2002-08-12T20:56:44Z")
I have feeders each summer so I get to see them lots everyday for months. This summer, two of them have sometimes called a truce and will feed at the same time. Usually they fight (making a really high clucking sound). Best of all, a few years back, one had a nest below our 2nd story window. (But not low enough to see eggs or babies.) We only get Ruby-throated ones here, but there are reports of other types appearing more frequently (and in winter too). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/11 "2002-08-12T21:14:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > \*\*There was this one kind that had head feathers that appeared different depending on the angle—from the side they were jet black, but when it turned to face you head-on they were bright pink! Quite shocking the first time. \*\* That would have been an [Anna’s hummingbird](http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/ANNHUM/). Actually most hummingbirds that have bright colors are like that. The feathers are iridescent, and only show color when the light hits them just right; otherwise they look black. ---
**Author:** ![Rockford](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac8455/32.png) [@Rockford](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rockford)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/12 "2002-08-12T22:35:53Z")
Max Torque- \*\* > [@](#): > > And here’s a couple of blurry shots of that orange-throated fellow. So you really think he’s a regular broad-tailed? I haven’t seen a picture of a broad-tailed with a throat that orange…and the color is true, the orange throat and green cap were exactly as I saw them. \*\* Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure that’s a Rufous Hummingbird (They look almost identical to Allen’s) … you might want to take a look at that in a book. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/13 "2002-08-12T23:12:53Z")
I saw one today, too! Watering the flowers on the back porch, this thing the size of my thumb buzzed in…I thought I was being attacked by a giant bug! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bad_Astronomer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/14 "2002-08-12T23:23:06Z")
Yes, we have lots here in Northern Cal. We put up a feeder (3:1 water:sugar) and now we have _lots_. They are very aggressive. We have one we call the King Hummingbird. He sits in a tree where he can watch the feeder, and chases away any other hummingbirds that come near. It’s funny. He chased one off the other day, and flew literally a few inches from my head… it was _very_ loud. 😉 I wonder though… just drinking sugar water can’t be good. They must need other things to live, like proteins and the like. They must supplement with flowers… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/15 "2002-08-12T23:27:50Z")
I’ve never seen one. And the South is _filled_ with flowers. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/16 "2002-08-12T23:47:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Bad Astronomer \* > \*\*I wonder though… just drinking sugar water can’t be good. They must need other things to live, like proteins and the like. They must supplement with flowers… \*\* They also snack on any insects they happen across in the flowers they drink from, I believe. But that high-speed metabolism of theirs needs a _lot_ of energy, so they do need a lot of high-energy sugar. Hmm, probably those sugar-water feeders attract a few insects as well, so I guess they eat those too. ---
**Author:** ![Kaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Kaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaf)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/17 "2002-08-12T23:52:10Z")
[“the hummingbird’s delicate perfection”](http://www.versedaily.org/smallsins.shtml) One of my favorite poems. Living in the city, I haven’t seen one for ages! ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/18 "2002-08-13T00:27:23Z")
I had no idea there were so many different kinds of hummingbirds. The one I saw was just kind of brown with a white stripe on his tail ---
**Author:** ![QueenAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/d26b3c/32.png) [@QueenAl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QueenAl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/19 "2002-08-13T01:10:16Z")
Wow, you lucky bugger. I’ve always been fascinated by hummingbirds, but never seen one in real life. What’s the kind that is mostly green, but with an irridescent blue at its throat? That’s the one I’ve always planned on having as a tatoo, if I ever have one done. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559/20 "2002-08-13T02:25:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Bad Astronomer \* > \*\*We have one we call the King Hummingbird. He sits in a tree where he can watch the feeder, and chases away any other hummingbirds that come near… \*\* Probably should be Queen Hummingbird. I call the on who dominates the feeder outside my kitchen window “Watcher” to avoid confusion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-a-hummingbird-today/123559.md?page=2)