Tuesday, March 29, 2016

They’re here, or on the way (Hummingbirds)


 

A few lucky people in north Texas have seen hummingbirds.  More people will see more hummingbirds soon. So get feeders and nectar ready. (The best nectar is clear, and made of one part dissolved table sugar and five parts water)  Change it every week or so, depending on the weather.

·      Hummingbirds are found only in this hemisphere. North and South America only – there are zero in Europe, Asia, Australia or Africa.

·      The ruby-throated hummingbird has the least feathers of any bird; only 940 on average.

·      Forget the fables!  Hummingbirds are genetically attracted to ALL bright colors, except green; so they can spot food sources (flowers) in the wild.

·      Red dye in nectar has been proven to cause genetic harm in the tiny ceatuires.

 

Owen Yost, in addition to blogging, is a Landscape Architect emeritus from here, whos worked in north Texas for over 30 years.  He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), International Society of Landscape Architects, the National BirdFeeding Society, National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society. He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award by the Native Plant Society of Texas. His design office is at northwestern68@yahoo.com