Ruby Throated
Hummingbirds
By Anastasia Yates
Introduction
RubyThroatedHummingbirdsareoneof
themanyspeciesofhummingbirds.It’s
scientificnameisArchilochuscolubris
andcommonnameisHummingbird.This
birdisthemostcommonhummingbird
inEastern-NorthAmericaandisvery
beautiful.
ItsRuby-redcoloredthroatiswhereit
gotitsnamefromandhowitis
recognized.Eatingnectarfromflowers
andpollinatingotherflowersisit’s
hobby.J
Appearance
Adultmale Rubythroated
hummingbirdshaveascaly
appearancewitharedorruby
throatasitsuggestsinthename.
Anemeraldshimmerygreen
colorvestlikefeathers.
TheRubyThroated
hummingbirdisthesizeofa
teacupandweigh2to6grams.
Thereeggsaretinywhite,
weighinghalfagramorless
then1/5ofanonce.
Thefemale Rubythroated
hummingbirdhasagrey,
plaincolorandwhitetipped
tail.Ithascurvepointed
wings,thefemaleisspotted
withandemerald.
[Comparisonofakeyandthehummingbirdseggs]
Habitat
TheRubyThroatedHummingbirdliveandbreedin
thewoodlandofeasternNorthAmerica.The
woodlandisagreatplaceforflowerstogrowand
hummingbirdstofeedonthem,pollinatingmany
plantsintheprocess.
HummingbirdsspendtherewinterinMexicoand
CentralAmerica,togettherethehummingbirds
havetoflyacrossthegulfofMexicoinamarathon
distanceflight.
TheRubythroatedHummingbirdisthemost
commonspeciesofhummingbirdinEasternNorth
America.
Changing Habitats
Wedonotwantourfuture
generationofHummingbirds
tobekilledoff!L
Ecosystems
Thehummingbirdlivesinthetemperatedeciduousforestfor
mostoftheseasonsandheadingofftotheTropical
RainforestforWinter,thisbeinginEasternNorthAmerica.
HerearesomeInteractionsinthatecosystem:
- Abioticinteractioninahummingbirdsecosystemisthe
hummingbirdandflowers.Thehummingbirdfeedoffthe
flowersandpollinateotherplants,that’sanotherbiotic
interaction.
- Thefemalehummingbirdsbuildtheirnestsonatree,
usuallyindeciduoustreesuchasoakandbirchtrees.This
beingabioticinteraction.Becausethetreeiskeepingthe
eggssafetopredators.
- Anotherbioticinteractionisahummingbirdkillingbugsor
insectsforfoodtoeat.
Diet
RubyThroatedHummingbirdsareomnivores,eatingbugs,
insectsandnectarfromflowers(thisbeingtheirmainfood
source).PeoplewilloftenhaveaHummingbirdfeeder
hangingfromatreewithamixtureofwaterandnectarinit
forthehummingbirdstofeedon.
Hummingbirdsneedsugartomaintaintheirmetabolismand
insectsorspiderstogettheirprotein.Hummingbirdshave
adaptedovertimetoeatnectarfromflowers,byusingtheir
longtonguesandbeakstoconsumethenectar.
Hummingbirdshavetoeatoverhalftheirbodyweightin
sugarseachdaytofueltheirmetabolism.
"Hummersneednectartopowerthebugeatingmachine
thattheyare." - BobSargent
Food Chains & Food Webs
FoodWeb
Inthisfoodwebthewater,sunlight,plantandgrowth
isatthebottomtransferringtheenergytothesmaller
insectseventuallygettingtothetopofthefoodweb
wherethecatisanexampleofthehummingbirds
predator.
Predators
TheRubyThroatedhummingbirdhasbeenkilled
and/oreatenbyvariousplantsoranimalssuchasthe
Sharp-shinnedHawk,Green&Bullfrogs,Orbweaving
spiders,PrayingMantisandfish.Theyhavealsobeen
impaledbycactusandkilledbyotherplants.
Flight
TheRubyThroatedhummingbirdswingsbeat
60– 80timespersecondandupto200times
persecondwhendiving.Hummingbirdshave
lotsofcontrolovertheirflightability,stopping
instantlyandflyingbackwards,adjustingtheir
positionandflyingatincrediblespeeds.They
canalsoflyUPSIDEDOWN!
Hereisavideo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZEd7_MkDc
Dichotomous Key
Taxonomy
TheRubyThroated
Hummingbirds
scientificnameis
Archilochuscolubris
andbelongtothe
(bird)AvesFamily.
MRS GREN
M – Movement
R – Respire
S – Senses
G – Grow
R – Reproduce
E – Excrete
N – Nutrition
HummingBirdsarelivingthings:)
Classification
RubyThroatedHummingbirdsbelongstotheBird
Grouportobemorespecific,Apodiformes.The
Apodiformesgrouphasthreefamilies:theswifts,tree
swiftsandhummingbirds.TheRubyThroated
Hummingbirdobviouslyfitsintothehummingbird
family.Apartfromthat,thehummingbirdbelongsto
thebirdgroupasithasfeathersandwingstofly.Itlays
eggsandhastwolegs,aswellaswarmbloodandear
holes.
TheRubyThroatedHummingbirdlooksverysimilarto
Anna’sHummingbirdwithit’spinkthroat:
[RubyThroatedHummingbird]
[Anna’sHummingbird]
Conclusion
InconclusiontheRubyThroated
Hummingbirdisabirdthatisfoundinparts
ofNortheasternAmericaandfeedsoff
flowersandbugs.Changinghabitatscauses
duetolossoffoodandhome.Interactions
intheecosystemaremainlybiotic.Therules
inMRSGRENsaythatthehummingbirdisa
livingthing.OveralltheRubyThroated
Hummingbirdisacuteandamazinganimal!
Bibliography
References
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