Grab a nickel and hold it in your hands, a Rufous Hummingbird weight even less than that. Nickel’s weight is about 5 grams, an adult rufous weights three to four grams. They tend to spend their winter in Mexico, but can be found as far north as Alaska in the summer. They need lot of nectar or the occasional small insects to have the energy to migrate, consume more than their weight in nectar each day. Only know bird that can fly backward, using this and their other abilities to defend their territory, even if just passing through. A very feisty bird, even more then I when defending my last piece of chocolate.
So few months back I was very excited when a friend had showed me a nest of Rufous Hummingbird. At top of the nest, the diameter not larger than the diameter of 1985 National Parks of Canada 100 anniversary silver dollar. Which weight 15.62 grams, you can do the math to figure out home many Rufous Hummingbirds that would be. I visited the nest few times a week, taking pictures with each visit, first just the adult and eventually two immature hummingbirds. The attached picture was taken few days after the nest was vacated, giving me chance to do my silver dollar experiment.
Until next moment,
Amar