Hummingbird Trivia Time!
A Charm of hummingbirds at luncheon
Our love for hummingbirds didn’t truly begin until we installed raised-bed kitchen gardens. Don’t get us wrong, as Houston gardeners we liked them, but now we LOVE them!
When you hang a hummingbird feeder in your garden as well as plant nectar-rich flowers, you create an incredible environment where hummingbirds can thrive.
What do you know about Hummingbirds?
Let’s do something different in this blog post and play a quick round of hummingbird trivia. You can use these questions later to stump your kids or impress your neighbors.
Ready? Give yourself 1 point for each right answer and let’s see how you do:
1) True or False. The diet of a hummingbird is solely dependent on nectar, from flowers or feeders.
Answer: False. They also need protein, which comes from consuming small insects such as ants, gnats, mosquitoes, spiders, aphids and flies.
2) Hummingbirds build nests out of:
A) small twigs
B) spider silk
C) bits of lichen
D) pieces of leaves
E) all of the above
Who guessed all of the above? You got it. Who has time to build a nest and then weave it together with spider silk? And kudos for the use of so many design elements in one nest! It’s no wonder that by the time hummingbirds are ready to rest, they want home to feel a bit “extra”.
3) A hummingbird egg is the size of a _____________ and there are usually _____ per nest.
A) marble / 6
B) marshmallow / 4
C) bean / 2
D) pea / 1
The answer is: C. A hummingbird egg is the size of a pinto bean and females usually lay two in a nest. The young hummingbirds grow quickly and, thanks to that spider silk nest, their accommodations actually expand to adapt to the increased size and weight. After 25 days, they’re ready to fledge the nest.
4) True or False. Hummingbirds have excellent memories and will return to the same location of food sources year after year.
Answer: True! Keep those feeders clean and full and you’ll be rewarded with return visitors.
5) True or False. Hummingbirds migrate to Mexico or Central America for winter and make a nonstop flight of around 500 miles.
Answer: True. Can you imagine? In order to make their bodies ready, they must double their body weight and build up fat stores. Over this journey, they lose, on average, 60% of their preflight weight. After reaching Mexico or Central America, they seek out nectar sources and insects (both widely available in these tropical climates).
6) A hummingbird will visit your Houston garden if you supply:
A) tubular flowers
B) beebalm
C) a hummingbird feeder
D) all of the above
You guessed it: All of the above! This is also why we love to add pollinators and natives to our raised bed kitchen gardens. Hummingbirds, bees, moths, butterflies, and ants are just a handful of critters that keep our gardens healthy. In return, providing them with the nutrients, shelter, and shade they need is the least we can, and should, do.
7) True or False. I should leave my hummingbird feeder out all year long.
Answer: False. While it’s a nice gesture, in case you have a non-migrating hummingbird hanging around, it isn’t necessary. Once hummingbirds have left for the winter, you can remove and clean your feeder and prepare it again in early March. The best recipe for hummingbird nectar is a simple syrup with a ratio of one (1) part sugar to four (4) parts water. Bring water to a gentle boil, stir in sugar to dissolve completely, then let cool. This sugar water mixture can be stored in the fridge for months. Never add dye! It is harmful to hummingbirds.
So, how’d you do? We hope that you add a feeder or two to your kitchen garden this spring. Hang it from an arch trellis or shepherd’s hook and enjoy your spring guests. Better yet, snap a pic and tag us on Instagram!
Our favorite hummingbird feeders are linked in our amazon storefront! Click HERE to be taken right to it.
