To Study Hummingbirds Up Close, This Man Attached Feeders To His Glasses

(TMU) – Late spring is the time when bird enthusiasts, and hummingbird lovers in particular, prepare to welcome these amazing little feathered creatures by polishing their special, brightly colored hummingbird feeders.

They are considered one of the smallest, beautiful and remarkable birds found in nature. Native to the Americas, most of the species measure between 2.95-5.11 inches (7.5–13cm) in length – the bee hummingbird, weighing just 0.07 ounce (2.0g) and 1.98 inches (5cm) in length being the smallest existing bird species.

Hummingbirds flap their wings so fast they create the humming sound they are named for and are the only birds that can fly backwards. Although found in Canada and across North America, they migrate to warmer climates to avoid the cold winters, they are found all year in much of the Caribbean and South America and in some of the warmer southern and coastal regions in the US and Mexico.

 

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I know that a ton of you live in parts of the world where hummingbirds are only summertime visitors. Hummingbirds only exist in “The Americas” They are found from Southeastern Alaska down to Southern Chile. The hummingbirds rarely winter in a place where temps drop below freezing: preferring instead to make a long and hazardous trip down to warmer climates like Mexico. I know all of you miss your bird friends terribly. In honor of the hummingbird migration happening right now, I present you with this virtual feeder… Now you guys can come and get your hummingbird fix, as though you’re just looking at your friends at the feeder through the kitchen window. I’m taking good care of the birds who have been stopping through my yard on their way down south. They are all fat and happy and enjoying their stay in Northern California. ?❤️?

A post shared by Tracy Johnson (@hummingbirdsxoxo) on Oct 18, 2016 at 7:12pm PDT

The North and South America is home to around 330 species of hummingbirds and while these birds have no sense of smell, they do have excellent color vision.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird for instance, prefer tubular orange or red flowers. To attract them, simply plant red and orange flowers in the garden and/or use feeders with include those colors.

Hummingbirds drink the nectar by moving their forked tongue, which is as long as its beak, in and out of the flower or feeder about 13 times per second and can consume up to double their body weight in a day. And with all the energy used by those fast beating and humming wings, they don’t have to worry about gaining weight either.

 

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Today we got an infrared sauna. The only space for it is in the garage, which is okay, except that there is a pile of wood right next to the sauna. And a lot of things live inside of the pile of wood. Including a black spider with red on his back who crawled out of the wood pile to examine my new sauna. I don’t mind spiders. But if you are a male (or female) black widow spider, I’m sorry to say, I will try to squish you. Because the potential for you to bring your wife and children into my new sauna is pretty high. Fortunately for the spider: between my flailing and my screaming and my aim: he escaped. But I’m guessing he is probably pretty pissed off at me. To be fair: I would be mad at me too! I spoke into the wood pile to apologize for trying to smash him with my shoe. He did Not reply. I don’t think he accepted my apology. (Because, technically I was apologizing for the fear he must have felt when I missed. Not for the actual attempt on his life.) I’M SORRY MR. BLACK WIDOW! I mostly love all beings. But I have enough health issues. I don’t need a black widow bite on top of everything else. I checked all around the area and couldn’t find him anywhere. I’m sure he’s a master of camouflage. So. The sauna is amazing and hopefully the black widow will not reappear. Or if he does, it will be with eight tiny suitcases (one in each hand) as he and his tiny spider family relocate to a wood pile outside of the garage. In the meantime, I’ll be in the sauna, sweating like crazy and listening to podcasts with one eye open. Awaiting a spiders (well deserved) revenge. ? ⏳ Speaking of camouflage: how amazing is this male Annas Hummingbird who somehow managed to match his gorget to the flowers in the backyard! ???? slo mo iPhone video, feeders from www.hum-fi.com

A post shared by Tracy Johnson (@hummingbirdsxoxo) on Sep 19, 2019 at 3:41pm PDT

Hummingbird enthusiasts sometimes get very creative to attract these birds to their gardens by providing the sweet nectar and intricate, colorful feeders. Quite a few get very creative with their feeder designs, especially when wanting to experience the birds up close and very personal.

A man from Lyons, Colorado for example, attached plastic feeders to his spectacles for a real up-close hummingbird experience.

His design was successful as the birds didn’t seem to mind being so close to a human and happily sipped the sugar water on offer while their rapidly flapping wings hummed around his face.

Spencer Staley, a ‘bird nut’, turned himself into hummingbird feeder a couple of years ago.

Staley converted a safety helmet by adding seven feeders, attached at the tips of thin metal rods. With his innovative human feeding station Staley was able to feed hundreds of birds in a short period of time.

A Costa Rican enthusiast also created a similar hat feeder, albeit on a smaller scale,  with three feeders attached to a hat with wire, providing him with a very close view of the birds sipping the nectar.

Flickr

When there’s nectar to be had, hummingbirds don’t seem to mind getting close to humans, even close enough to be fed by hand, but be prepared to be patient should you want to give this method a try.