If you live in the eastern half of the United States and southern Canada, learning to identify hummingbirds is easy! Only one kind (with very rare exceptions) can be found in this range: the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris (www.istockphoto.com)
Common Name: Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Latin Name: Archilochus colubris
Range: East of the Mississippi River in North America
Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, meadows, grasslands, and in parks, gardens and backyards
Diet: Nectar and small insects.
Conservation Status: Least Concern.
- Juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbird (archilochus colubris) in flight with a flower (www.istockphoto.com)
Attracting these beauties to your backyard is easy! Simply create an environment that is suitable for hummingbirds by planting native flora, providing a fresh water source, filling and maintaining a clean nectar feeder, and keeping predators, such as house cats and dogs, away.
Happy Birding!
Danielle and Michelle
