April 13, 2022

Getting to Know the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

A Most Enchanting Garden Guest

If you’ve ever spotted a hummingbird in Northeast Ohio, chances are it was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird – the only species to regularly visit our area each spring and summer. These fascinating creatures appear in a flash of red and green, hover just long enough to negotiate a nectar source, and then zip away to the next opportunity. Want a garden abuzz with these jewel-toned companions? Get to know them better below!

10 Things to Know

  1. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris, arrives in Northeast Ohio by mid April, nests June-July, and remains in the area until October.
  2. They migrate approximately 500 miles each spring/fall, returning to Central America in the fall. They typically cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight.

3. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds weigh less than 1 ounce and measure only 4 inches long.

4. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird beats its wings about 53 times per second.

5. One of the most acrobatic birds, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird hovers often and can fly upside down and backwards at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.

6. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds remember food sources and often return to yards that provide a reliable supply from year to year.

7. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are fantastic pollinators, pollinating as they move from flower to flower feeding on nectar.

8. They do not shy away, boldly feeding from hanging baskets and feeders on porches or near windows.

9. Like other birds, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have good color vision and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum which means they prefer to feed on red and orange flowers. They also prefer tubular, long-throated, nectar-rich flowers including annuals like Mandevilla and Petunias, perennials like Bee Balm and Hardy Hibiscus, and trees and shrubs like Rose of Sharon.

10. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds appreciate fresh nectar from hummingbird feeders.

Favorite Food: Nectar
Preferred Feeder: Hummingbird Feeder

Hummingbird Feeder

Here in Northeast Ohio, hummingbirds are most frequently spotted visiting brightly colored, nectar-filled feeders, followed closely by vibrant flowering plants.  Make an offer they’ll gladly accept with nectar served in a hummingbird feeder. You can also fill your feeder with sugar water, easily made by mixing 1 part sugar with 4 parts water until the sugar is dissolved. Remember that during the hot weather, sugar water ferments rapidly to produce toxic alcohol so it’s important to change the water before it grows cloudy or discolored.

northeast ohio's

only hummingbird species

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the only species we have the privilege to attract into our gardens in NE Ohio. We hope you enjoyed reading these 10 fun facts about this intriguing species.

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