The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is the smallest bird in the Adirondacks and has a distinguishable long, thin beak, bright green to golden green crown, green back and white on the belly and throat. Males have an amazing iridescent red throat and are smaller in size than the female.
The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds east of the Mississippi River. This small, compact species of a mere 3.25-3.78 inches beats its wings 50 to 80 beats per second, which produces the familiar humming sound as they hover.
As they hover, to and fro, across hummingbird friendly landscape which need not require a managed garden or the solitary red feeder filled with a clear solution of four parts water to one part sugar; you will notice that this species has the ability to fly backwards. The hummingbird is the only bird species that is capable to flying backwards.
This species winters in the Tropics and flies nonstop of over more than 500 miles of open water across the Gulf of Mexico to reach their U.S. eastern nesting grounds each spring.
This beautiful species greets my feeder with an insatiable appetite which I am happily to accommodate. It has a fearless and near-magical quality that entertains my imagination and fulfills my eager bird nerd curiosity. Therefore, I am glad to see that this species, as well as all North American hummingbirds, are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for all future and current generations to enjoy.