Hummingbirds: Nature's Kamikazes—Part 3, Expert Q&A

Bill Hilton Jr., hummingbird bander and educator, answered audience questions at Kentucky's Land Between the Lakes Nature Station. Part 2 of the Q&A:

Injured Hummingbird?

Too tiny for amateur rehab. Place in dark box; call state fish/wildlife. Exception: gently free from string/spider web, offer sugar water. Non-flying birds—call authorities. Migratory/songbirds federally protected; illegal to capture/cage without permit.

Red Dye in Commercial Nectar?

NO. Dye may be "harmless" but unnecessary. Natural nectar is colorless; feeders have red parts. Homemade nectar: 1 part white sugar : 4 parts hot water. No honey, brown sugar, alternatives—they ferment faster and harm birds. Dye tested on mice, but hummingbirds weigh far less—concentration would be much higher.

Feeder Fighting?

Rarely cause real harm—mostly bluff (like bulls pawing ground). One documented case of two males with beaks locked in each other's throats (likely accidental). Reduce squabbles: hang feeders out of each other's sight lines. If the bully can't see all feeders, it can't guard them all.

"If hummingbirds were the size of crows, we'd all be dead! They're bold, fearless, and pack a ton of attitude in those tiny bodies." —Another hummingbird expert

Greatest Threats?

Weather (hurricanes, freezes, droughts, floods), plate-glass windows, cats, Sharp-shinned Hawks, large praying mantises, bullfrogs. Spider webs treacherous; few NA spiders tackle hummingbirds directly.

Same Birds Return Year After Year?

Don't hang your feeder—watch a grumpy hummingbird hover under the empty hook.

Attracting Them at Range Margins?

Put feeders out early spring before migration. Bright surveyor's tape/ribbon in garden—motion attracts. Hummingbirds see bright colors from ½ mile. They fly low (sometimes near ground/ocean), not high like geese. Better chance on spring northward migration than fall southward if at territory edge.

Myth: Hummingbirds Ride Canada Geese?

False. Hummingbirds fly low; geese fly high. Urban legend.

Fall Feeders Stop Migration?

False. Birds migrate when ready (males mid-July, then females). Ohio Valley/Mid-South see waves—different birds weekly as northern birds replace departing ones. Feeders help, not hinder.

Tiny Hummingbird-Like Creature?

Not a baby—hummingbirds fledge full-sized. Males develop red throats next year. Likely a hummingbird moth (e.g., Snowberry Clearwing, day-flying).

Thanks to Hummingbird & Butterfly Forum contributors for questions. Enjoying hummingbirds is rewarding—low-budget or lavish, your choice.