Indholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2019 i Birds & Blooms

Migrating hummingbirds have made the trek north. Like the whir of their tiny wings, they create quite a buzz among bird-watchers. This time of year, it’s normal to see social media posts announcing a FOY (first of year) hummingbird visit, or to hear neighbors discussing their sightings. The annual arrival of these energetic fliers is truly something to celebrate—and that’s what this issue is all about. Look for our special “Hummingbird Tales” feature on page 20. It’s 12 pages of vibrant, splashy photos, and the folks with the cameras reveal the stories behind their shots. The best part? All of the images were captured by hummingbird-loving readers like you! And find everything you need to know about feeding hummingbirds in your yard—from skipping the red dye in sugar water to…

A stocky, medium-sized hummingbird, the Anna’s has a straight, short bill and a broad tail that extends past the wings. With bold, metallic greens above a gray belly, Anna’s is the only North American hummingbird sporting a full reddish crown. Males proudly display a brilliant magenta throat, called a gorget, and crown. If it appears to be more violet than rose in color, the bird could be a hybrid that is the result of mating between Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds. Females have specks of pink-red on their throats, often forming a small gorget that is unusual for female hummingbirds. Their backs are duller, iridescent green, with drab gray underparts. To attract a mate a male puts on an aerial display that starts with hovering a few yards in front of…

NECTAR SPECIALISTS No fliers are as well-equipped to extract nectar as hummingbirds. With long, thin bills and tongues that lick up to 13 times a second, their mouths alone make them impressive. But the awe doesn’t stop there—they are among the few birds with the ability to steadily hover and fly backward, allowing them to easily move from flower to flower.…

hummingbird habits in autumn aren’t what they used to be—and that could be a good thing if you'd like to see more of the speedy little fliers whizzing around your backyard later in the season. “Things have shifted,” says John Rowden, director of community conservation at the National Audubon Society. Ruby-throated hummingbirds, the only species found in most of the eastern half of the country, used to depart colder regions in September. Now some of them are lingering into October, with sightings in November and even December, far outside their usual wintering range. Also on the rise across much of the country are fall sightings of western hummingbirds like the coppery rufous, calliope, Anna’s and others. Scientists can’t say for sure what is causing the recent shift. But John notes…

SAVE THE DATE Check out Arizona’s oldest bird festival. The Southwest Wings Summer Festival in Sierra Vista, July 31-Aug. 3, offers free programs and wildlife exhibits. Three climate zones converge in the area, so festival attendees are treated to a high bird count with many species found only in southeast Arizona. Guided field trips, available for a fee, include transportation and meals. More than 200 species have been spotted during the festival. Learn more: swwings.org 1 Visit the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia, Arizona. On a beautiful 1.4-acre property that was formerly a private residence, the center hosts more than 200 bird species. A dozen hummingbird species, including violet-crowned and broad-billed, frequently visit the sugar-water feeders there. 2 Escape the heat and cruise the scenic byway to Mount Lemmon, the…

True or False? A. HUMANS SEE BETTER than birds and are able to distinguish more colors. B. SOME BIRDS GROW brighter feathers after eating certain foods regularly. C. BLUEBIRDS AND BLUE JAYS are not actually blue. Instead, their feathers are dark but reflect a blue light that humans can see. ANSWERS 1. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD 2. BALTIMORE ORIOLE 3. YELLOW WARBLER 4. INDIGO BUNTING 5. SCARLET TANAGER; A. FALSE B. TRUE C. TRUE…

200 Females lay about 200 eggs at a time on host plant leaves. They’ll eat a wide variety of plants—caterpillars are happy to munch birch, hickory, walnut and sumac, to name a few. 2 moth caterpillar Luna caterpillars spend two to three weeks in cocoons if they hatch early in the season. Insects that hatch in late summer or fall spend the winter snuggled away, emerging when spring arrives. Adults don’t have working mouths and live long enough only to mate. 1987 At first glance, this moth looks like a butterfly. Its appealing image appeared on a postage stamp issued in 1987 and is the logo symbol for a popular sleep medication. 1758 This moth received the name “luna” in 1758, to reflect the transparent, moonlike spots that dot the…

OBSERVE Join Audubon’s Hummingbirds at Home program as a community scientist. Share garden sightings or log visits to your feeder: hummingbirdsathome.org Read This beautiful collection is a roundup of the best tips, photos and stories from last year, all in one book! Get yours now: birdsandblooms.com/BNB19 Grow Hummingbirds love to visit salvia! Gilberto Sanchez of Orlando, Florida, saw this hungry ruby-throat sipping his Amistad salvia. GET AWAY Escape to the Southwest for the Sedona Hummingbird Festival, Aug. 2-4. The event features banding demonstrations, birding field trips, garden tours and more. SHARE We’d love to see your hummingbird photos! birdsandblooms.com/submit…

1 Salvia SALVIA SPP.,ZONES 3 TO 10 With as many as a thousand species, there’s an ideal salvia for nearly every garden out there. Also known as sage, salvia displays long thin flowers that hummingbirds love. Choose native varieties or seek out spectacular selections like Rockin’ Deep Purple. Why we love it: Pollinators go for salvias. You could plant an entire garden of salvia varieties, and it would hum with activity every day. 2 Hummingbird mint AGASTACHE FOENICULUM ZONES 4 TO 8 Also known as anise hyssop, this wildflower releases a sweet licorice fragrance when you brush against the leaves. Hummingbird mint is drought tolerant and thrives in well-draining, moist soils, where it grows up to 4 feet tall. Why we love it: It’s right there in the name! Hummingbirds…

Q Two kinds of hummingbirds visit our yard: black-chinneds and Costa’s. One is a young male Costa’s whose throat patch is just beginning to show, and I always wonder how old he is. What is the life span of a hummingbird? Terry Burkhart LANDERS, CALIFORNIA Kenn and Kimberly: These tiny creatures don’t live long. Based on banding studies, 7 or 8 years is a ripe old age for most hummingbirds in the wild. Ruby-throated hummingbirds have lived 9 years, and one banded female broad-tailed hummingbird in Colorado made it to 12. A zoo that’s properly set up to care for these birds may stretch longevity: Two black-chinned hummingbirds at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson lived to 13 or 14 years old. We don’t have much information on the Costa’s…

Find the Hummingbird In each issue, we hide a hummingbird like the one above left. Enter to win at birdsandblooms.com/contests if you find it. Winners receive a one-year subscription to Birds & Blooms. In the April/May issue, we hid it on page 62. HIDDEN OBJECT GUIDELINES No purchase necessary to enter to win. Purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents age 18 years or older of the U.S., its territories and possessions, or of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec). Sweepstakes begins on May 8, 2019, and ends on July 8, 2019. Visit birdsandblooms.com/contests for official rules. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes sponsored by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC. Contact Us! CUSTOMER CARE For subscriptions, renewals, gifts, payments, account info and inquiries: Email: customercare@birdsandblooms.com Visit:…

Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis, Zones 3 to 9 Eye-catching stalks of vibrant scarlet, white or rose flowers pop in any summer garden from July to September. The blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds, while rabbits and deer usually avoid the plant. It adds height to edges and thrives in moist, challenging growing conditions like rain gardens, along ponds and in wet meadows. Attracts: Light needs: Prefers partial shade, but grows in full sun with moist soil. Size: Shoots 2 to 4 feet high, spreads up to 2 feet wide. Grown for: Nectar-packed, showy blooms hummers love. Foliage: Tall stalks with long, thin, dark-green leaves. Cultivars to try: Alba has striking white blooms, while Rose Princess has bronze stems and deep pink petals.…

Whether you’re converting grass to a garden or creating a brand-new planting area as a result of recent construction, the soil probably needs a little elbow grease and TLC. Incorporating compost or other organic matter into the top foot of your soil improves drainage in yards with heavy clay deposits and helps sandy or rocky plots hold water better. While this process yields healthy plants, it takes decades of yearly maintenance to make a difference. Luckily, a few remedies start to work almost immediately. Purchasing topsoil and creating new beds on top of your current soil is a less time-consuming alternative. Despite this quick fix, many gardeners end up with weed-filled, poor-draining topsoil that’s worse than what they started with. Always consult friends or family who have found a reliable…