WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS by Jon Friedman This is a revised and expanded version of an article that was first published in the March/April, 1994 issue of The Wild Bird Store Newsletter. Hummingbirds have little to no sense of smell. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly both forward and backwards. As with many creatures in the animal kingdom, it comes down to defending territory – namely feeding territory or breeding territory. Hummingbirds, as a group, are extremely turf-oriented birds. In the world's ecosystem of all living things, reproduction is the only way to sustain life. Hummingbird Facts: Pollination. Bees might get the most attention as pollinator species, but hummingbirds are important pollinators too. Why Do Hummingbirds Fight Over The Feeder? If you happen to be in the vicinity of a male hummingbirds' individual turf, the lack of male hummingbirds in your yard could mean that he "forced" them all to leave. Hummingbirds are also attracted to specialized feeders. Well, it’s only frustrating to us. REMEMBER: Hummingbirds are credited with never forgetting the flowers that they’ve visited and when nectar is available. Mother hummingbirds need a sheltered location to make their nest and take care of a few baby hummingbirds. without them, the plants would die, then animals would die, then humans would die. Some hummingbirds, for example, are most vocal when defending a feeding territory, while others may perch and chirp to ward off intruders rather than aggressively chase them. Hummingbirds see the same colors as we do, plus some more in the near ultra-violet range. Why do hummingbirds hum? A hummingbird wings will beat about 70 times per second. Hummingbirds are pollinators, and some plants have evolved long, tubular flowers to take advantage of hummingbirds' specialized method of sipping nectar. DEAR SHERRY: Hummingbirds can have some frustrating behavior. A hummingbird wings will beat about 70 times per second. Hummingbird's wings will beat up to 200 times per second when diving. Also, note how frantic the calls are and when they are made – timing can be important for identification. Rather, once they found a sweet feeder, they came back to that location to drink, regardless of color. Hummingbirds can also hover in mid-air, fly sideways and even upside-down. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS by Jon Friedman This is a revised and expanded version of an article that was first published in the March/April, 1994 issue of The Wild Bird Store Newsletter. Like bees, they carry pollen from one plant to another, and play a key role in plant reproduction. Hummingbirds can see farther than humans. Hummingbirds help pollenate the flowers and plants that we need to survive. They don’t migrate in flocks like other species, and they typically travel alone for up to 500 miles at a time. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards. An article in the journal Animal Behavior showed that flower color (on artificial feeders) was not important for hummingbirds for finding the sweetest nectar. Hummingbird's wings will beat up to 200 times per second when diving. Lastly, these hummingbirds will also need a space to fly around while in your garden. But they are more sensitive to the warm reddish colors. Without a perch they can use about as much energy by hovering above the food ports….as what?. Bees might get the most attention as pollinator species, but hummingbirds are important pollinators too. 10 Facts About Hummingbirds. Hummingbirds focus mainly on small, soft bodied insects such as gnats, spiders, fruit flies, mosquitoes and aphids.