Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 00:36:53 EST
From: Stacy Peterson <SJPeterson@AOL.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: [HUMNET-L] Hummingbirds in the snow

Humnetters,

I received an email recently from Clark and Jean Moore of California. They
have Anna's Hummingbirds present year round at their place. With their
permission, I'd like to share what they wrote:

"We live in Kern County on the side of Bear Mountain at an elevation of 4725 feet. One or two male Anna's hang out with us the entire winter. On mornings after a light snow, I will go out to wipe the snow off the feeder and perhaps replace the juice. Remarkably, one of the ports will already be
open, having been already drilled through by one hummy or the other. No
females stay, although they arrive by late winter. However, a male or two
are here through snow and temperatures sometimes in the teens. Obviously they do not wish to give up a good territory."

I was particularly intrigued by their account. The image of hummingbirds as wimpy critters unable to survive subfreezing temperatures is inaccurate at best -- something you and I have known for a while, but something few in the general public have considered. It's nice to make the acquaintance of folks who have more evidence to share about the heartiness of these birds.

Best,

--Stacy

Stacy Jon Peterson
4442 Sijan St. Apt. A
Mtn Home AFB, ID 83648
Elmore County

======================================================

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 06:29:01 EST
From: Bob Sargent <RubyThroat@AOL.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Those missing adult male Rufous

I have seen adult male Rufous
already on site in the Seward, Alaska area when there was much snow on the ground and the nightime temps were in the lower 20's.

The first of the male Ruby-throated are on shore in Alabama the last week in February. Although floral nectar and insects are available, these food
resources dwindle quickly as the males move northward. The rate of northward movement appears to be about 18 miles per day, based on first sighting reports.

For Rufous (or Ruby-throated) to effectively use torpor at night as a
protective measure against the cold, I BELIEVE they must feed extensively and be relatively sedentary in order to produce fat for nightime burning. In the blizzard of March 1993 in Alabama, ALL the males that I was tracking
disappeared without a trace.

Bob Sargent

======================================================

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 11:15:02 -0800
From: Robert Protz <robertprotz@YAHOO.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Hummingbirds in the snow & COLD

Dear Bob and Stacy,

At the risk of losing my head to the axe here, I want
However, I think we have some evidence (read data)
that sub-ZERO (0ºF) temps are a different phenomenon
altogether with regards to hummer survival.
Especially when sub-ZERO temps exist for an continuous
extended time period.
only to point out that I agree with the argument that
hummers can easily survive sub-FREEZING temps.

Rob Protz in W PA

======================================================

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 13:41:55 -0600
From: Lanny Chambers <lanny@HUMMINGBIRDS.NET>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Hummingbirds in the snow & COLD

Last year, the local Rufous left after the third consecutive subzero
night. Or maybe they became humsicles. All we know is that they weren't
seen again, although they appeared healthy at last observation.

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, USA

======================================================

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 17:20:19 EST
From: Bob Sargent <RubyThroat@AOL.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Hummingbirds in the snow & COLD

Robert and Stacy and Friends
Bring in the sheep, winter is coming.
I will readily admit that prolonged cold in the zero range will in fact kill
hummingbirds. I have never stated otherwise. Severe cold will in fact kill
some sparrows and some buntings and some jays and some starlings and many other species as well. We do not see this bazarre emotional decision-making involved in the impending death of some of these birds. The main reason is that most of these species, hummingbirds included, will make the proper decision regarding food resources, and cover, that it takes to survive. I
think that the point is well made that many of the North American species are quite cold hardy and resourceful.

At risk of falling victim to the "axe' that Robert mentioned earlier:
What I am opposed to is the routine intervention in the lives of wild birds
to "save them from themselves". To say that we are more qualified than the birds involved to make the correct decisions is a bit much to me. I think the decision to do such things are decisions of the heart and usually involve little expertise or serious thought. I think that they are ultimately done more for the humans involved than for the hummingbirds. One can care about the welfare of hummingbirds and refrain from interferring in their lives. There is a natural process involved that routinely removes defective birds of all kinds from the population. This natural selection process includes not only birds that are physical less than perfect, but those that are genetically faulty as well. This is not a new process. Man did not invent it. It is the work of the Creator, no matter how each of us interpret The Creation.

Reverend Bob Sargent

======================================================

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 22:46:58 GMT
From: Troy Gordon <colubris6@JUNO.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu

By this decision, the whole world loses. The two hummingbirds lose their
freedom, and their lives are disrupted. Even if they survive, they will never be truly wild (or real) again.

Calliope hummingbirds lose as a species the genetic differences that caused
these two birds to go east. Maybe the genes in these birds wouldn't have
survived anyhow, but it now they won't have the chance to try.
All mankind loses the possibility of more knowledge, the wonder and the
mysteriousness of them being there, and the joy of seeing the wild, and great ways of nature (or God, or life...).

Those would love hummingbirds the most also lose. Whether we band them, watch them, or just like to see them hover, a bit of that wonder is now tarnished by the decision. We could have learned so much more by leaving them free!

I am sure the people pushing for their capture mean well, and think they have the birds' best interests at heart. But, everything I believe in says they are wrong. I hope they reconsider.

Troy Gordon
Columbia, MO

======================================================

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 17:48:56 -0500
From: BILL HILTON JR Operation RubyThroat The Hummingbird Project
<hilton@RUBYTHROAT.ORG>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu

On a related matter, if hummingbirds get to some northerly latitude
on their own, we ought not incarcerate them for the winter in some
warm, indoor aviary and then release them the next spring. That would
just encourage them to return the following winter and--if wayward
migration is genetically determined--might result in their offspring
making the same trip and demanding that they, too, be brought
indoors. In a few generations New York, for example, would be flooded
with Calliope Hummingbirds standing in line for winter housing, and I
don't think that's in anybody's--or any bird's--best interest. We'd
be a lot better off letting natural selection determine the lot of
winter vagrants. If they make it on their own, fine; if they don't,
it should be just as acceptable.

Cheers,

BILL
====================================================

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 19:12:07 EST
From: Arlene Koch <Davilene@AOL.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Hummingbirds in the snow & COLD

Bob and All -

Unless all of my sources are off, the decision to "save" the two Calliope's
has been made on an emotional, not scientific basis. One woman even went so far as to describe it as an "avia-tarian (humanitarian, get it?) effort.
Frankly, I've stopped monitoring the posts on them, specifically the ones
coming from a LISTSERV right at the source, because it's gotten way out of hand.

It's interesting that these birds were there for more than week, passed off as rubythroats, and almost ignored. Then, finally, someone took a good look at them and said, "Oh, my," and the rest of the story you all know. As far as I know, no one seemed to care about saving or not saving them when they were "only rubythroats."

Arlene Koch, Zone 6
Easton, PA
Northampton County

====================================================

Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 08:57:50 EST
From: Bob Sargent <RubyThroat@AOL.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Educating the educators...

Those birds that do survive the winter in captivity do in fact get great
media hype. This, in my OPINION, simply fuels the fire for more such
activity. The dirty little truth is that many, if not most hummingbirds in
these "rescue" mission are likely to die in captivity. What we will never
see in the media is any balanced reports on the mortality rates involved.
Those little things don't make for good copy.

A few words of optimism. We have apparently, for the most part, moved past
the point of capturing and relocating hummers to California or Florida or
South Alabama or Louisiana. In the past when this was being done, it should
be viewed in retrospect with a reminder of how little was known about
wintering hummers in the eastern United States. I think that we will likely
see the same thing happen with this "humane saving and wintering over"
fiasco. We can best educate the educators and others by sharing the
information that we have gathered, and by the continuing exchange of ideas as
is done here on Humnet.

Bob Sargent
Trussville, Alabama
=====================================================

SUBJECT: Response on Wintering Strays from Robert Sargent
Submitted by: Ben Cacace <benc@nac.net>

With Robert Sargent's permission I am posting a response from him
concerning some questions I had about what is known about western
hummingbirds that stray to the east coast. Here are some of Robert
Sargent credentials:

My question to Bob preceded by >'s -- followed by his response:

Bob,

The general consensus of those looking to make things right for
the Calliopes is that these birds need feeders for survival. I'm
not sure if anything is known about immature-male wintering-over
Calliopes surviving without the presence of some form of nectar.
Is there data supporting the fact that hummers (any hummers) in
cold climes do fine without any human intervention in places
where natural nectar sources are non existent?

I know everything is not known about hummingbirds which makes
this an extremely exciting field. Are there records of banded
western stray hummers that survived a winter (in a cold climate)
without going to a known human supplied "nectar" source? Are
there hummingbirds that were banded after straying to a cold
climate that left the area shortly after their natural food
sources disappeared? These banding records are probably the only
things that may start to create a theory on the behavior of
these out-of-range birds.

Thanks again for the information you've provided regarding the
NYC hummingbirds.

Ben

*****

Hi Ben,
In fact there is some data, but very little regarding Calliope.
Calliopes are very uncommon in our work. We only banded about 15 or
so all of last winter. They are quite cold hardy. I banded over 200
nesting females and breeding males in Montana this spring/summer when
there was still some snow on the ground and some freezing
temperatures at night. The females were carrying eggs and incubating.

One of our banded Calliopes in Nashville, survived without a heated
feeder and was recaptured and documented three years in a row. It
endured the normal winter in that part of Tennessee, with lowest low
temps in the single digits. Only one or two nights would have been
below zero.

One of the misconceptions is that the southeastern United States is
warm in winter. In my many conversations with birders and a concerned
public from New York and the northeast, it is apparent that we are
perceived of having no concept of winter. This year we are pretty
much like you, including the daily highs and lows. It was a beautiful
clear morning here at dawn with a heavy frost. It is nice to see some
real winter weather.

Specifics: Rufous and other species regularly appear AT FEEDERS or in
yards with no flowers or feeders during periods of cold that involve
10-20 degree F weather. Sometimes during these periods when there is
no floral nectar, these hummers in remote rural areas will disappear
for up to three days and then suddenly reappear. NO feeders can be
found that they may have visited.

Some of my banded birds from Tennessee and the Carolinas that
disappear as winter deepens are later recaptured farther south later
in the season. An adult Rufous that was banded in November of 1989 in
Huntsville, Alabama, disappeared on a night in December when the
official low was -10 F degrees. This hummer host had a heated feeder
that did not freeze. This bird was presumed dead by me! The following
year I recaptured the same bird AND an immature male Rufous in the
same yard on the same day.

An Allen's banded in Tennessee departed in cold and clear weather and
was recaptured 3 days later in Georgia. I captured a Black-chinned in
that yard on the same day.

A Rufous banded in north Georgia, vanished without a trace during a
cold snow storm last winter. When I inquired, I was told the body was
never found. Another of my banders recaptured the same Rufous a month
later in northwest Florida.

A Rufous that I banded in Dothan, Alabama left in March after a
winter with a feeder that was not heated. I recaptured it 5 years in
a row at a home in central Mississippi that did not have a heated
feeder. That bird would disappear for days at a time.

An Anna's in Tennessee was captured and banded my me when the outside
temperature was 8 degrees F. I watched it feed at Sapsucker wells for
some 20 minutes before it came to a heated feeder in my trap.

I regularly capture hummers in yards with feeders frozen solid as a
brick. These hummer hosts often neglect or go on vacation. The
hummers, mostly Rufous, just keep checking the feeders until they are
thawed OR they can be found during colder periods foraging in
evergreens and shrubbery for insects. Most of these wintering birdsnever found. Another of my banders recaptured the same Rufous a month
later in northwest Florida.

A Rufous that I banded in Dothan, Alabama left in March after a
winter with a feeder that was not heated. I recaptured it 5 years in
a row at a home in central Mississippi that did not have a heated
feeder. That bird would disappear for days at a time.

An Anna's in Tennessee was captured and banded my me when the outside
temperature was 8 degrees F. I watched it feed at Sapsucker wells for
some 20 minutes before it came to a heated feeder in my trap.

I regularly capture hummers in yards with feeders frozen solid as a
brick. These hummer hosts often neglect or go on vacation. The
hummers, mostly Rufous, just keep checking the feeders until they are
thawed OR they can be found during colder periods foraging in
evergreens and shrubbery for insects. Most of these wintering birds
without regular nectar can almost always be found feeding at
Sapsucker wells as a part of their foraging.

It has been my experience that the vast majority of wintering hummers
will leave their more northerly locations DURING PERIODS OF WARMER
CLEAR WEATHER, well ahead of life threatening cold. The opportunity
to band such individuals has been very restricted, in many cases
because the birds are scooped up and housed for the winter "for their
own good".

The fact that my 15 years of experience with Rufous indicates that
they are very cold hardy and very timely in their movements leads me
to believe that they should not be restricted in any way as long as
they are free flying birds. When a Rufous or others is sick or
injured, I am totally in favor of proper medical treatment. I act as
an advisor and last ditch rehabber for the Alabama Wildlife Rescue
Service here in the Birmingham area. It is a huge facility that does
some tremendous work. I am familiar with health problems in
hummingbirds.

There is not a person on earth that loves birds in general and
hummers in particular any more that I do. I believe that those birds
in New York will depart before the colder weather takes them down. I
believe that we are morally wrong in interfering with this natural
scenario that we are witnessing. As you suggested earlier, we do not
know a lot about the lives of hummingbirds. That fact alone makes it
exciting and wonderful and challenging.

Respectfully

Bob Sargent, President
The Hummer/Bird Study Group, Inc.

=====================================================

Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 09:39:28 -0600
From: MiriamLDavey <athena@INTERSURF.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] "saving" hummers from the coldHummer fans:

Why am I opposed to the proposal to help "wayward" New York Calliope
Hummingbirds survive North American winter by extaordinary means, including overwintering in greenhouses/conservatories, and capture/relocation to a warmer area?

First, assuming these creatures to be "wayward", or lost, is probably a
mistake. Animals, birds in particular, have dynamic ranges. Sometimes
ranges are extended quickly, sometimes gradually over many years. The
vanguard may often be unsuccessful surviving winter, or other new living
conditions, but without at least a few adventuresome individuals, species
would not adapt to survive environmental changes.

Should these birds survive New York winter, however unlikely that may be,
they need to be able to go back to breeding grounds to pass along their
genetic legacies. Part of that legacy might be the tendency to attemptwintering in New York, however preposterous that might seem to us humans.

Seconly, if relocation is the plan, how do the relocators know where these
birds should be taken? Is it good enough to simply release them in the
general area of Mexico/Central America they are supposed to be, according to scant ornithological information?

Many different biomes exist in the areas Calliopes are thought to spend
winter. Dozens of hummingbird species live all over the general area; some
year-round residents, some migrants from farther north, present in winter only. Will the relocators take the time and effort to find out exactly which biomes support wintering populations of Calliope Hummingbird?

Calliopes wintering here on the Gulf Coast seem to prefer a very particular
set of habitat requirements compared to our most common wintering
hummingbird, the Rufous. Do Calliopes prefer the same sorts of areas in
Central America? Are their wintering habitat requirements a very
existing two, two too many? Will one drive the other off before winter's
end? Will ones driven off be likely to have enough fat reserves to enable
them to find another wintering spot before dying of starvation? Who knows?

Has any research been done on Calliope Hummingbirds, or any hummingbirds, or any birds at all, for that matter, showing good rates of survival after rehab/release/relocation? No, I don't think so.

If studies are ever done, I predict the survival rate to be unacceptably
low. Survival rates are very low for post-rehab/release for the few animals for which studies have been done. It's the Musical Chairs thing again. If the niche is right, it usually already has maximum occupants.

Fourthly, many North American hummingbird species survive several days of below freezing temps, as long as food is available. Nectar seems less
important than the presence of arthropods, which compose a major part ofmuch-researched ornithological subject, with good information readily
available, even in scholarly journals?

And what about the Gulf Coast, where in recent years, dozens of Calliope
Hummingbirds are well documented to have successfully spent winter, some even returning in subsequent years? Will they release the birds there?

Thirdly, if relocation is the plan, no matter where they are relocated, how
will these individuals fare being dropped into unfamiliar territories?
Most North American hummers are extremely territorial animals, chasing off or attempting to chase off invaders---their own species, other hummingbird species, or even other nectar-feeding songbird species. It's like Musical Chairs. Niches appropriate for Calliopes already have Calliopes, for the
most part.

Two Calliopes are wintering in my back yard. One is a probable banded
returnee from last winter. Could my property stand two more? Are the
existing two, two too many? Will one drive the other off before winter's
end? Will ones driven off be likely to have enough fat reserves to enable
them to find another wintering spot before dying of starvation? Who knows?

Has any research been done on Calliope Hummingbirds, or any hummingbirds, or any birds at all, for that matter, showing good rates of survival after rehab/release/relocation? No, I don't think so.

If studies are ever done, I predict the survival rate to be unacceptably
low. Survival rates are very low for post-rehab/release for the few animals for which studies have been done. It's the Musical Chairs thing again. If the niche is right, it usually already has maximum occupants.

Fourthly, many North American hummingbird species survive several days of below freezing temps, as long as food is available. Nectar seems less
important than the presence of arthropods, which compose a major part of hummingbird diets. Perhaps all these birds will need to make it is an
unfrozen feeder, and the tiny gnats and arachnids present in the
vegetation. (Some would consider keeping a sugar-water feeder out to be
extraordinary means)

And lastly, using extraordinary means like relocation or indoor wintering
to "help" these birds misses a great opportunity for public discourse.
Humans routinely focus nurturing concern on individuals rather than
populations, or on entire species. That's the way our brains work.

It's also one of the reasons species are going extinct at a rate
unprecedented on the planet. We refuse to look at the larger picture, and
our role in that picture.

Why not turn the urge to nurture these two very adventuresome individual
Calliope Hummingbirds (especially when that nurturing might actually cause
their demise!) into concern for the species Calliope Hummingbird? Concern
for hummingbirds in general? Concern for preserving biodiversity?

Why not encourage public support for funding for research into exactly what
Calliope Hummingbirds need to survive? Why not fund some research
documenting the nature of Calliope and other hummingbird species' recent
and dramatic winter range expansion into the Gulf South, and now up the
East Coast? Could this range expansion be at least partly a result of
Global Warming? Habitat loss on traditional wintering grounds?
Human-wrought changes in microhabitats, such as urban hotspot/pinpoint
warming?

Why not use this opportunity to encourage support for research, and support for legistation based on existing research, to reduce the devastating loss of habitat for this and other bird species?

Why not use this rare opportunity to spark community debate over subjects like the effects of global warming, habitat loss, invasion of exotics, and other problems, on creatures such as Calliope Hummingbird, and other migratory birds and migratory insects such as the Monarch Butterfly?

Capturing these birds for relocation or indoor wintering doesn't help
anyone or any creature. Keep a sugar-water feeder up, throw out some rotten fruit, even let a Federally licensed hummingbird bander capture, band, record data, and quickly release these birds in their chosen wintering spot, but please don't do anything else.

New York birders---why not take this rare opportunity to celebrate the
presence of these bold adventurers, and at the same time, focus public
attention on broader issues?

Miriam L. Davey
Baton Rouge, LA

===========================================

Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2002 22:59:11 -0600
From: Lanny Chambers <lanny@HUMMINGBIRDS.NET>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Another Rufous

FWIW, in December 2000 at least two Missouri Rufous stuck it out through
three consecutive subzero nights before disappearing. They were active
and apparently in fine shape when last observed, and presumably headed
south.

I'll bet few healthy Rufous have ever frozen to death in Louisiana.

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, USA

===========================================

Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 11:07:50 -0600
From: "Donald E. Mitchell" <dmitchel@PRESSENTER.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: [HUMNET-L] MN Anna's found dead

Edited posting on the Minnesota Ornithologists Union listserve from the hosts
to the Anna's Hummingbird:

We wanted to let you know the sad news that the Anna's Hummingbird was found dead on our neighbor's sidewalk in the morning of December
27, 2001. It had apparently frozen while roosting in the red oak at
night and fallen.

We saw the Anna's up to the late afternoon of the 26th as it followed
its daily routine. Even with the weather colder (about 10 degrees at
night) it had been coming back to the protein/nectar feeder each
morning and warming itself for up to 20 minutes under the heat lamp.
In the late morning and afternoons it was quite active spending time
in our spruce tree, and in the neighbor's maple tree, mulberry tree
and other bushes. It was active even the afternoon of the 26th.

We have been advised of preservation of the specimen and have the
bird in our freezer. We have arranged for it to be researched and
then placed on permanent exhibit at the Bell Museum.

--Donald Mitchell

=============================================

Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 13:24:38 -0500
From: allen chartier <amazilia1@HOME.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Might not be the End of Calliope Story

Nancy, Lanny, & Humnetters,

Just a tidbit of information that I can throw into this discussion regarding
what temperatures, and for how long, Rufous Hummingbirds can tolerate. The Rufous that was at Ortonville, Michigan (banded by Susan Campbell) survived 10 consecutive days where the daytime HIGHS never exceeded 25oF and the nighttime LOWS were consistently around 10-15oF. Snow fell for the first 5 days, accumulating to 6 inches, which remained on the ground until Dec. 31, the date the bird was last seen (noted as active and healthy). The homeowners had a heat lamp near the feeder where it was spending most of its time during the day, though the bird's night roosting spot was about 15 feet away. The homeowners also provided fruit fly maggots for the last 5 days of the bird's stay, which apparently went over quite well. This Rufous Hummingbird was not seen on the first day the temperature exceeded 25 (it went up to 30oF that day), which was Jan 1, 2002, and he hasn't been seen since. I think this exceeds the expectations of a lot of us!

Allen Chartier
1442 W. River Park Dr.
Inkster, MI 48141

==========================================

Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2002 11:24:56 -0600
From: Nancy L Newfield <colibri@WEBDSI.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Might not be the End of Calliope Story

I completely agree with Bob that 20°F is a piece of cake for most of our
wintering hummers. They nest in conditions where temperatures plunge below freezing almost every night. But in my experience, if temperatures plunge far below 32°F and remain below freezing day and night for several days, this when the bird's limits are challenged. I think most Rufous, Allen's, Broad-tailed, and Calliopes can tolerate 72 hours below freezing without suffering any ill-effects if they are well fed before the episode occurs and if there is sufficient food available [bugs, thawed feeder, sap]. Many Ruby-throateds, Black-chinneds, and Buff-bellieds can also tolerate this kind of challenge under the same circumstances, though some have disappeared after a fairly short-duration freeze.

But, when the number of consecutive hours of below freezing temperatures
extend beyond 72 hours, the number of hummers that can survive, even with
ready food available, becomes much lower. Here in Louisiana, the winter temperatures are relatively mild. We have not had a single 24-hour period
of below freezing temperatures since January 1996. I think most wintering
hummers survive very well at feeders and many can probably survive away
from feeders.

The longest stretch of below freezing weather since I began hummingbirding
occurred in December 1983. 20°F to 22°F temperatures prevailed unabated
for at least 100 hours. Hummer hosts worked hard to keep their feeders ice
free. Still, most folks reported a sharp decrease in the number of hummers
by the fourth day and a number of hummers were found dead after the
temperatures abated. By the fifth day, very few hummers remained at known
feeder locations. I do not know how any of these birds died [starvation,
hypothermia, ???]. I just know dead. I believe that the birds were simply
[or maybe not simply] unable to take in sufficient calories to compensate
for the number of calories they were losing just staying alive. I suspect
that may be what happened to the Anna's in Minneapolis and probably many other birds.

When hummers "leave" feeders they may just go somewhere else or they may
die. If the departure is under good weather conditions, I suspect that
they have met their needs and have moved on. When they "leave" after
several icy days, I suspect they have perished [and will be surprised to
find otherwise]. Unless the bird is re-encountered, we never know its
actual fate. When you say "He finally left after the third
consecutive subzero night, in late December." I suspect he didn't go far.

NLN

================================

Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 15:57:59 EST
From: Stacy Peterson <SJPeterson@AOL.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: [HUMNET-L] Montana Anna's Energizer Bunny

HUMNET:

Thought you might find this update interesting. From the Montana RBA...

((((((((((((((((((((((((
This is Terry Toppins with the Montana Birding Hotline
sponsored by Birdwatcher's Country Store at the corner
of Main and Pattee in Missoula recorded Sunday January 20th, 2002.

I'm pleased to report that "Arnie" the ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD
is still surviving in the winter weather that drops into the
teens nightly in Missoula at the home of Sue and Gordon
Scaggs. Arnie disappears when it gets dark but comes back
every moning when the Scaggs' put out a fresh feeder. You
can contact them at [deleted] if you would like to try and
see Arnie. Apparently Arnie has made his peace with the
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK that makes an appearance in the Scaggs'
yard once or twice a day.
((((((((((((((((((((((((

Very cool!

--Stacy

==========================================

Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2002 06:23:32 -0400
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] whole influx of rubythroats

In a message dated 9/20/02 5:42:41 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
lanny@HUMMINGBIRDS.NET writes:

 

Other Humnetters may be too polite to say this, so I will:

Bad idea, Pat. Rufous don't mind a litle cold weather--I caught one near
here after three subzero nights, and it was in fine shape. When food
grows scarce, they simply leave. They do not need "rescuing," which is
really imprisonment that prevents them from continuing migration and may
ruin their chances to breed normally in spring. I'm sure Arnette is a
nice lady, but she's sadly misinformed, and resists attempts to educate
her to the facts (perhaps because there's no cute book to be written
about NOT imprisoning a hummingbird). Not to mention, keeping a
hummingbird without a zoo or research permit is a Federal offense.

Nektar Plus is a little more work than you may realize. It spoils very
rapidly, and must be mixed fresh to fill sterilyzed feeders every couple
of hours from dawn to dusk. No days off, no vacations, no naps or
shopping trips while the bird is awake. It would take over your whole
life, like a newborn child.

Lanny Chambers

Friend Lanny and Humnetters
This is wonderful advice from Lanny!  These tiny birds are very cold hardy.
To routinely intervene to "save them" is a serious and illegal mistake.
Although such actions are taken with the best of intentions, they OFTEN
result in the unnecessary death of these special hummingbirds in captivity.
No longer do we consider these hummers poor wayward and lost souls that
will die when the first cold weather comes to the east.  To the contrary,
Rufous and others appear to thrive and as Lanny pointed out do move
southward if their local food resources are threatened.  I routinely
capture and band Rufous in areas where the nightime lows are in the 0-10
degree range.

Rehabbers and individuals that capture and house these birds in more
northerly states must hold them until spring to release them.  Any chance
of them arriving at their breeding grounds in time to establish a breeding
territory is probably lost since many of them nest very early.

A common mistake, in my opinion, is that we think of wintering Rufous at a
single site.  In fact, their wintering strategy normally consists of a
series of sites in most cases.  For birds that come to Louisiana or south
Alabama or the more southerly locations, Rufous may spend the whole winter
at one site.  While this is the case down south, it is rarely the scenario
for those birds that are first detected farther to the north.

If you wish to discuss this in detail, feel free to call me at
205-681-2888.

Bob Sargent
Trussville, Alabama

=====================================

Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 18:29:22 -0400
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Fwd: Discussion on MassBird list

Pat,

You wrote:

>>OK, I'll bite.  I'm not particularly emotionally vested in either side of
this argument, so I'll play devil's advocate. Isn't it rather specious for
those who spend six months of the year boiling sugar water to artificially
feed thousands or tens of thousands of hummers, to get their knickers in a
knot over the artificial "saving" of a handful?<<

I guess I'll jump in here, although I have limited experience.  This is
possibly a case of the cure being worse than the disease.  In Michigan,
we've had three of our 16 Rufous/Allen's "rescued", and two of the three
have died.  I've heard/read (don't remember where) that 90% of "rescued"
hummingbirds die soon after being rescued (or are never seen again in the
greenhouses they often end up in).  Certainly these are worse odds than
they face in the wild (50/50?), where they're free to depart when the urge
tells them.  So indeed it is our concern for the hummingbirds that causes
some of us to urge a "hands off" approach.

Allen Chartier
amazilia1@comcast.net
1442 West River Park Drive
Inkster, MI  48141
Website: http://www.amazilia.net
Michigan HummerNet: http://www.amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/index.htm

==========================================

Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 17:59:03 -0500
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
From: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Fwd: Discussion on MassBird list

Pat, first, it's a mistake to lump breeding Ruby-throats together with
winter Selasphorus; second, I think your argument underestimates the
importance of losing their extraordinary genetic material. In most cases,
"saving" really means "dooming" or at least "denying the opportunity to
breed"--a wild animal that can't breed might as well be dead, for its
life has no purpose. For all we know, the proclivity of a Rufous to fly
east in the fall might someday become an essential factor for species
survival. Saving a bird is never worth the extinction of its species! We
aren't smart enough to know that won't happen as a result of our meddling.

I wrote the following to the fellow who notified me about the MassBird
thread, regarding the early removal of feeders:

"I have no doubt that a small percentage of western hummingbirds has been
migrating east for millennia; they will continue to do so whether or not
we offer them feeders. Given the apparent decline of Rufous in its normal
range, and given global warming, the genes of these birds may become the
salvation of the species, while human interference won't do them any good
at all. "Rescuing" these birds robs them of any chance of a normal
breeding season."

When it comes to natural selection, the best thing a puny human can do is
to stand well out of the way. The worst thing is to treat wild animals as
pets.

The whole issue isn't about humingbirds, anyway. It's about humans,
because "saving" cute hummingbirds makes some of them feel powerful, or
important, or motherly, or perhaps just warm and fuzzy. These folks
should confine their sentiment to cats and stuffed teddy bears. If you
crave cloying sweetness (110% on Sluggo's refractometer, and my apologies
to Humnetters who are members), try this place:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/hummingbird/

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, USA
http://www.hummingbirds.net/

=================================

Date: Mon, 2 Dec 2002 15:46:33 -0500
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
From: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Attempt to trap the Wagner Park (NYC) hummer(s)

>>Humnetters,
>>
>>I have permission by the NYC private bird list owner to forward this
>>onto humnet...

>Karen/HUMNET: as BBB an others have pointed out, rehabber licenses
>are presumably for handling injured or sick birds, not healthy,
>free-flying ones, and so I suspect this would be a violation of the
>terms of that license -- otherwise, people could go around trapping
>all manner of birds on various pretexts.
>--
>Van Remsen
>najames@LSU.edu
>LSU Museum of Natural Science
>Foster Hall 119, LSU
>Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Humnet,

Part of the problem is that we don't keep asking questions---like, if this
bird got here on its own, shouldn't it leave or not leave on its own?
Could this bird's presence be part of some natural process best left alone?

Another is that as a society, we don't have much concept of how wild animal
populations exist and interact with, and depend on their environments, day
to day, year to year. For the last 30 years our science education in
schools, both public and private, have fallen victim to years of abysmal
teacher pay, and the criminally substandard quality of just about every
commercially available high school and middle school biology and science
textbook. (we can thank right-wing religous fundamentalist groups in Texas
and California for that)

In my experience, the small percentage of Americans who have a good working
knowledge of biology and of science learned it pretty much on their own,
because they were interested in it---they sought out this information
outside the parameters of prescribed texts and coursework. If one
subtracts all the professional and academic scientists from this group,
it's probably even more true.

As a nation, I would say we get our biology mostly from TV, and it's not
doing a great job. If TV biology could be reduced to one sentence, it
would have to be "Crikey, he got me!"

All one sees on TV are human up-close and personal interactions with
animals. Animals in zoos, animals captured and wrestled, animals captured &
vetted and radio-tagged, animals captured & relocated, wild animals studied
as individuals (and even given names), endangered animals captured &
extraordinary means taken to preserve their species; it just goes on and
on. Even PBS's "Nature" now seems mostly about human interaction with
individual animals, even when filmed in the wild.

I often wonder if most of the public doesn't think most wild animals would
be better off being cared for by people in zoos and high-fence reserves,
and then we wouldn't need to preserve natural areas.

"The wild" is such a hard concept; I mean, who takes care of it (everything
needs taking care of, right?)? It's so messy and unorganized. And, where
is the wild, anyway? You can't buy it at Wal-Mart, you don't really see it
along the roadside, it's not in the office, and certainly not in our homes
or most of our gardens. Even our nature centers and public gardens are
pretty controlled----they got boardwalks, paved trails, water fountains,
signs, interpretive displays, bird feeders, air conditioned building,
naturalists to tell you what to look for and what you're seeing; it's all
under control. I wonder if EveryAmerican thinks the wild is only a figment
of the imagination of Madison Avenue advertisers who create those SUV
commercials.

I think all those factors are at work when this sort of situation crops up,
as it has the last several years.

Maybe opportunities like what to do with this little pioneering hummer will
help get the word out about the dynamics of wild creatures, and natural
systems, and get people interested in asking questions that lead them to
value sustaining biodiversity, rather than just being satisfied to nurture
yet another cute creature.

Falling off the soapbox now,

MiriamLDavey
BAtonRougeLA