![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDTegaU8A5uRhc5wOnp1-0t8NFrHKkLw_5oCCKIH_ih_42rqvLl8S4gIZlE3C4ZnZcjEiHfoOd5vZL59QB4HWBjCXJdFkcKIYC2rb756FVF33oFFAhv1fmT5zmISh6MLYf42L9rj4j9U/s320/IMG_5102.jpg)
To think of our tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbirds flying so far. This female will probably migrate to Central America. They’ve got a 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico at the shortest distance. It takes them 18-20 hours of non-stop flying. That’s incredible to me!
They fly at about 25 mph which is faster than ships travel. A hummingbird can fly the same distance faster than a ship can travel there. I’ve read that a hummingbird can safely fly up to 26 hours non-stop. Sounds like a miracle to me. Before “our” hummingbirds even get to the coast for the 500 mile trip, they have a 981 mile journey from Central Virginia.
So fragile a praying mantis can catch them and yet so tough to take such a challenging journey. Since I will be spending 9 weeks in Costa Rica this winter, I suppose it’s possible I’ll be seeing the same birds that have been feeding at our flowers all summer long.
Hilton Pond has a great article on hummingbird predators. Learn as much as you can to keep these beautiful birds in our backyards.
No comments:
Post a Comment