Ruby-throated hummingbird
| Ruby-throated hummingbird | ||||||||||
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A male ruby-throated hummingbird in flight |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Archilochus colubris | ||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The tiny ruby- throated hummingbird ( Archilochus colubris ) is a strikingly colorful bird found in the eastern parts of the United States and Canada. The ruby- throated hummingbird is not identical to the South American ruby hummingbird .
features
The ruby-throated hummingbird gets its name from its plumage , which shines metallic in many colors in the sun. In the shade, however, the plumage appears dull.
The ruby-throated hummingbird has the lowest number of feathers of any known bird. Its length is usually ten centimeters and its wingspan is twelve centimeters. With a weight of three grams, it is extremely light. It emits a short, high-frequency beeping through its long beak , which is sometimes curved at the end .
Way of life
The habitats of the ruby-throated hummingbirds are forests, fruit plantations and gardens. There you'll see it often in Schwirrflug around whiz. The oldest known specimen in the wild died at the age of five. The normal life expectancy is three years.
Courtship and breeding biology
After hibernating , the males first reach the breeding areas and look for territory . As soon as the females come, they are courted in courtship flights , with the male flying back and forth in perfect arching flights. Then the couple rushes up and down in front of each other.
The nest is made up of leaves, lichen, and downy plant material held together by cobwebs . It's located on a tree about six meters above the ground. Between March and July, the female lays one or two eggs , which it incubates for 16 days. It then pulls the young up for 22 to 24 days while the male does not take care of the young.
food
Due to their ability to fly, which allows them to fly forwards, sideways and backwards, as well as simply standing in the air, ruby-throated hummingbirds can buzz in front of flowers like insects and insert their thin beak into the corolla . There they suck the nectar out with their curled tongues . They especially love red flowers. Preferred plants include honeysuckle , lilac , petunia, and watercress . Not only do they get their nourishment from the flowers, but they also pollinate them, thus helping to secure their food supply for the coming year. The nectar supplies the hummingbird with essential sugar; sometimes it also eats insects and spiders .
Spread and threat
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Ruby-throated hummingbirds winter in Central America and the West Indies and breed in eastern North America . In between, they cover a 3,000-kilometer train, including a 1,000-kilometer non-stop flight over the Gulf of Mexico .
Due to its small size and light weight , the hummingbird has numerous natural enemies such as dragonflies , praying mantises or frogs . Some also get caught in spider webs or are impaled by thistles . Although they were popular collector's items in the 19th century because of their colorful feathers and in the Victorian period stuffed specimens were often hung in living rooms, the inventory was hardly affected by this. Currently they are not threatened and are often seen in the main ranges.
Etymology and history of research
Carl von Linné described the ruby- throated hummingbird under the name Trochilus Colubris . He named South Carolina as the site . Later the species was assigned to the genus Archilochus . "Archilochos Ἀρχίλοχος " was a poet from the island of Paros . The specific epithet »colubris« is the Spanish word for »hummingbird«. Arthur Schopenhauer coined a German-Latin play on words, which Kolibri leads back to "praeda colubri" from "prey of the snake". However, he emphasized that the similarity between "hummingbird" and "coluber" for "snake" was probably more of a coincidental nature. As early as 1731, Mark Catesby described and illustrated the ruby-throated hummingbird with The Humming-bird and Le Colibri . 1743 followed George Edwards with the Red throated Huming Bird , who also described and illustrated the species. Since there was no Linnaeus nomenclature at that time, Carl von Linné is considered the lead author today.
literature
- James A. Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 .
- Carl von Linné: Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, Cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis . 10th edition. tape 1 . Imprensis Direct Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm 1758 ( online [accessed June 15, 2014]).
- Arthur Schopenhauer: Arthur Schopenhauer's complete works in twelve volumes. With an introduction by Dr. Rudolf Steiner . 10th edition. tape 11 . JG Gotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachhaben GmbH, Stuttgart and Berlin 1894 ( online [accessed June 15, 2014]).
- Marc Catesby: The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands: containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants: particularly, the forest-trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors: together with their descriptions in English and French: to which, are added observations on the air, soil, and waters: with remarks upon agriculture, grain, pulse, roots, & c .: to the whole, is prefixed a new and correct map of the countries treated of . tape 1 . Printed at the Expence of the Author, London 1731 ( online [accessed June 18, 2014]).
- George Edwards: A Natural History of Uncommon Birds: And of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals, Quadrupeds, Fishes, Reptiles, Insects, & c., Exhibited in Two Hundred and Ten Copper-plates, from Designs Copied Immediately from Nature, and Curiously Colored After Life, with a Full and Accurate Description of Each Figure, to which is Added A Brief and General Idea of Drawing and Painting in Water-colors; with Instructions for Etching on Copper with Aqua Fortis; Likewise Some Thoughts on the Passage of Birds; and Additions to Many Subjects Described in this Work. In four parts . Printed for the Author, at the College of Physicians, London 1751 ( online [accessed June 18, 2014]).
Web links
- Archilochus colubris inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- BirdLife International: Species Factsheet - Ruby-throated Hummingbird ( Archilochus colubris ) . Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) in the Internet Bird Collection
- Ruby- throated Hummingbird ( Archilochus colubris ) at Avibase; Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Archilochus colubris in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- xeno-canto: Sound recordings - Ruby-throated Hummingbird ( Archilochus colubris )