Blooming In Nashville HSMT Magazine - Magazine - Page 61
Juveniles are also fun to watch, so sit back and spend some
time with them. You may see an adult come in to feed their
youngster, or even show it some tips on how to forage. Like
watching newborn puppies or kittens, this can make for
adorable moments while you’re birding.
Hummingbirds: attract and admire
These tiny, glittering creatures are emblems of summertime
in North America. Set up your hummingbird feeder early and
Enjoy Watching juvenile Birds as they
learn the ropes
Seeing just-昀氀edged juvenile birds is one
of the great pleasures (and challenges)
of summer birding. This is the time of
year when you’re likely to see unfamiliarlooking plumages. Compared with their
parents, many juveniles are browner and
more spotted, streaked, or scaled. Their
tails often look short and their beaks may
still have a remnant of the 昀氀eshy “gape”
that served as a meal-delivery target when
they were in the nest. And juvenile birds
are often also clumsy, especially when
昀氀ying or landing, as they get used to their
new world.
stock it with homemade sugar water—no red dye needed—
and clean it every couple of days in hot weather. Pretty much
wherever you live in the U.S. and Canada you can expect at
least 1–3 species (and up to a dozen or so if you live in the
southwestern U.S.).
And how do hummingbirds create those intense colors, with
so much more pizzazz than other birds? That brilliant metallic
iridescence is a biological marvel that combines optical
physics and amazingly precise feather growth—allowing a
courting hummingbird to dazzle its mate with concentrated
blasts of colored light.
Optimize yards and gardens to feed and shelter birds
Feeders and birdbaths can help you attract birds, but don’t
overlook another important factor: the habitat value of your
yard or garden. Native plants combine multiple advantages
and can even be grown in container gardens if you’re short on
space. Many native plants will produce fruits or seeds while
also supporting a range of insects that birds look for. Plants
also create structures that can shelter birds and provide
places for them to nest.
Best of all, we’ve got deep resources on our Garden for Birds
website that can guide you all the way from speci昀椀c questions
to planning a full yard makeover.
“Information from the All About Birds website,
www.allaboutbirds.org, © Cornell Lab of Ornithology.”
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