Male Ruby-Throat
April 5 – Hummingbirds are on their way back to Connecticut. One was sighted in in Connecticut on April 3rd and one was seen in Massachusetts yesterday. The hummers seem to be coming back to us earlier each year. It used to be early May, but now it seems to be sometime in April. So be on the look out for them around any flowering plants that may be in bloom. It is just so fun to watch them dart around searching for plant nectar or a feeder to dine on. So it is also now time to clean your old hummingbird feeder and put it out there in your yard.
The hummingbird species that is found in CT is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. They spend the winter in Central America. From March through May, they migrate north. Arrival time on the breeding grounds tends to not occur until food plants are blooming. To find out how far they have come to date, take a look at the excellent migration map on the Hummingbirds! web site.
Female Ruby-Throat
What do they look like?
Hummingbirds are the smallest bird in the world. With an average length 3.5 inches and weight of one eighth of an ounce, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird gets its name from the color of the male’s ruby-red throat, although in some lighting situations it can appear to be black. The female is totally different, with its throat being covered in white feathers. The male has a forked tail while the female has a rounded tail with white-tipped tail feathers. The emerald green feathers covering their backs are Continue reading →
April 22 is Earth Day. 
