Hummingbirds are back in town. Ruby-throated hummingbirds, which can fly up to 60 miles per hour and flap their wings 40 to 80 times per second, have made the long voyage from the Gulf of Mexico back home.
Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds
“So the ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird in Illinois we see regularly. It’s the only really hummingbird that’s in the eastern half of the United States,” said Keriann Dubina, an environmental interpreter for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.
Dubina said males have the patented ruby-throats, which attract their mates.
“A lot of the time in birds the males are more showy, or more attractive looking, because they have to work a little bit harder to try and attract the females,” said Dubina.
They can be heard by their famous hum from their flapping wings, and can be found near forest edges and near flowers. Hummingbirds are master flyers so it’s likely you won’t get close enough to grab a good picture, unless you have a good camera.
How to Get Hummingbirds to Come to You
However there’s a hack you can do to get hummingbirds to come to you.
“If you’re trying to attract them to your yard you can always put up hummingbird feeders,” said Dubina. “The food to make them is very easy it’s just four parts water to one part sugar, you don’t need to color it. Keep in mind really bright color flowers and tubular shape flowers.”
You’ll have plenty of time to see a hummingbird this spring and summer before they migrate in the fall.
To learn more you can visit the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s website.
Naperville News 17’s Christian Canizal reports.
If you have a story idea or news tip you want to share, we want to hear from you!