hummingbirds

Why have I only now truly appreciated the flora and fauna around me? Take hummingbirds for example, all the years living and traveling in other countries and I am just now truly in awe of them in my backyard when clearly they were more abundant in Latin America. The charming hummers blatantly buzzing around me in other countries are now more allusive in my backyard. They announce their arrival with a subtle chirping, basically to ward off the other hummer that is nearing its source of nectar. They can be quite ferocious little critters. And contrary to believe they will sit long spells guarding a feeder or flowers waiting for another to enter their domain. Of the 356 known species, 51 are endangered. In Georgia we have 11 species and only one nests here, the ruby-throated, that has iridescent feathers that you only when the sun hits its throat and it weigh less than 3 ounces. We also have the calliope hummingbird that is the smallest bird found in North America an. the rufous humming bird that has the longest migration in North America, 3000 miles. They gear up for their long treks by consuming ½ of their body weight in sugar and feed around 5-7 times a day. I am amazed at how often they are in my backyard in the flowers in August. They used to come in July but it seems that every year they come later. These ardent fliers can live up to 12 years, so I intend to plant a hummingbird jungle feast for next year.