184 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



HUMMINGBIRDS: Family Trochilidae. 



RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD : ArcMlochus colubris 



(Linnaeus). 



State records. — The hummingbird, the smallest of our 

 birds, is a common summer resident in all parts of the State. 



It arrives from its winter home in the Tropics about the 

 first of April and departs for the South again usually by the 

 last of September. First arrivals were noted at Mobile, 

 March 24; Autaugaville, March 29; Woodbine, March 29; 

 Leighton, April 13; and Sand Mountain, April 13. The last 

 in fall were seen at Smelley, September 29, Anniston, October 

 4 (1916), and Leighton, October 11. Incubated eggs were 

 found in Autauga County, May 19, 1912 (Golsan). 



General habits. — The hummingbird is a sociable little 

 creature and often takes up its abode in dooryards and town 

 gardens; it is found also in upland woods and on timbered 

 mountain sides. Its movements are so swift and so extremely 

 active is the bird that it is difficult to follow it with the eye. 

 Its food is sought in the blossoms of various flowers, prefer- 

 ence apparently being given to those with tubular corollas 

 and of bright colors, particularly red. E. A. Mcllhenny of 

 Louisiana states: 



It is quite a common occurrence here for the ruby-throated 

 hummer to get drunk on the nectar of the flowers of the china 

 tree (Melia azedarach). It sometimes imbibes so much of the 

 nectar that it becomes stupefied and falls from the tree, when 

 it can be readily taken in the hand, and offers no resistance. 

 I have also taken them by putting a little brandy and honey in 

 honeysuckle and jasmine blossoms; they readily take this, and 

 become so intoxicated that they are easily caught.* 



The nest of the hummingbird is a beautiful little structure, 

 composed of plant downs and fibers, bound with spiders' web 

 and ornamented on the outside with lichens ; it is saddled on a 

 horizontal limb of a tree, or sometimes on a bush or vine, 

 usually from 10 to 40 feet above the ground, and firmly glued 

 to the limb with the birds' saliva. The eggs, two in number, 

 are pure white and only slightly larger than a navy bean. 



"Bendire, Q., LUe histories of North American birds, vol. 2, p. 194, 1896. 



