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, who‘s
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
