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Butterfly Garden

Rufous hummingbird

11 years ago

I did post this to the HB forum but it doesn't seem to be very busy so I thought I would post here too as I know HB's would also visit butterfly gardens. I have a Rufous HB visiting my yard and I wanted to know how unusual it is to see them in this area - I am in Windermere near Orlando.
many thanks for any info
Andree

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Comments (4)

MissSherry
11 years ago
I'm no expert, but I think it's pretty unusual for them to show up as far east as you are. Most of the overwintering rufous hummers I hear about are in Louisiana or extreme southwest Mississippi near the border.
Are you familiar with the Sargents? They're very involved with hummingbirds, especially overwintering ones, so I'll give you a link to their site. They'd love to hear about your rufous hummingbird and you can contact your Florida representative on this site.
By the way, is it an orange male, or were you able to identify it as a female? I hear they're a little larger than the regular ruby throats. Male or female, I'm SO jealous! :) I've been leaving my feeders out in winter for years and never gotten any takers! :(

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Hummingbird Contacts
kiffin87
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks Sherry - I have emailed the Sargents and also the contact for Florida that was on the website you sent. I have sent them the photo I have - I'm not sure about male/female but hopefully they may be able to ID and let me know.
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Hi shillanorth, It is still a mystery as to what triggers migration. Length of days and food availability could both be factors As mankind destroys food sources and habitat, many animals may be making a last ditch effort to stay alive. Have you ever made a late night jaunt to your favorite store only to find it unexpectedly closed? Panic and exploration... The Rufous' have just recently started migrating to the gulf areas and then turning northeast and coming back up. Nobody is sure why. Maybe loss of habitat. I would hate to promise food and not be able to deliver. I am researching flowers and plants that will give nectar all winter. I may have just made a mistake with bluebirds by feeding them lots of mealworms that enabled them to raise two broods this year. Great but, will there be enough food here for all of those bluebirds all winter? Playing Time Lord is a risky undertaking. I've been doing it for 55 years and I have found that it is very easy to mess up. Don't make promises you can't keep. The best thing I have found to do is furnish habitat. I have 10 acres with over 1000 birds of 140 species that frequent here. Habitat, habitat, habitat. I added a pic of a member of the bluebirds' first brood feeding a member of the second brood. I didn't know they did that. Here is a link that might be useful: RNWPHOTO.NET
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That's the second out of place rufous I've read about this week now. The first was captured by a rehabber and they were looking for a way to ship it.... I don't know if you can save yours or not, it's so early in the season. Here, during freezing weather, there are various things to do like keep back up unfrozen feeders and swap them out when the first freeze. Bring them in at night, set an alarm and get them back out at least a half hour before daylight in the morning (which is what DH chooses to do). Duct tape disposable hand warmer packets to them will help for approx. 6 hours. Christmas lights wrapped around the feeder can be enough heat to keep them thawed. Of course in my climate I'm talking about for a week or so a couple of times a winter where the annas regularly winter over - the syrup in the feeders will begin to freeze after a few hours at about 28F. I wish I knew how you might save yours, I wonder if there is a licensed rehabber available in your area. I think that's the only legal way to attempt to intervene. Here is a link that might be useful: Wayward Rufous this week too
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I'll second that! The best hummer photos I've ever seen! Double WOW!!! I had my first female rufous this December 21st. (Atlanta) She was only in my yard, over the hanging pansy basket, for a few minutes but it was still very exciting. I immediately got the sugar water ready but she has not been back. Thanks so much for posting these lovely RT photos! Janie
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Thank you, demolition. My photos were taken using an old Nikon D50 a 70-210mm zoom--not the best system for bird photography, by far. Thank goodness for digital; I typically have to toss a number of junk photos to get keepers! What a great view you have! Both the hummers close and the scenic overlook of a river. Nice sharing hummingbirds shot. I had to work very hard and long to get hummingbirds to share a feeder. My visitors are mostly year-round residents. I'm curious if the eastern migrants still moving are more likely to share as they pass through areas, because they would not feel the need to defend a feeder, or if they are as possessive while there as ones that stay in an area.
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dragonflydee
11 years ago
Butterflies and hummingbirds go together to me.One summer a little hen
Rubythroat spent quite a bit of time gathering nesting material all about my backyard and dragonfly pond among the old dried cattails.At the same time
The butterflies were busy among the Zinnias(and I grow the tallest I can find)all around the pond.They get along it seems.
Who do we hate??? Fire ants and Yellow Jackets!
DD
kiffin87
Original Author
11 years ago
The bird has been ID'd as a young male Rufous. There are a handful of other Rufous HB's that have been reported in Central Florida also.

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?what to do with this little guy?

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