ABSTRACT
Hummingbirds are only found in the New World.45, 83 There are 341 species of hummingbirds in the Americas.41, 45, 136 Sixteen species of hummingbirds breed in the United States.161 Only the rubythroated hummingbird nests and spends its summers east of the Rocky Mountains,41, 161, 172 east of the Mississippi river,29, 141, 182 or east of the Great Plains and the 100th meridian.3, 22, 45, 95, 136, 203 Rubythroated hummingbirds winter along the Gulf coast, from Texas, Mexico, and Central America to Panama. Ruby-throated hummingbirds live in wooded areas with fl owers, parks, suburban gardens, orchards, open woods or the edge of woods.3, 29, 41, 95, 203 Ruby-throated hummingbirds were assigned their Latin name, Archilochus colubris, in 1758.203 The ruby-throated hummingbird’s closest relative is the black-chinned hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri, which occupies the western half of North America.95, 182 These two species may have diverged during the glacial period.95, 182
Hummingbirds are capable of performing aerial acrobatics that other birds cannot. For example hummingbirds can hover, fl y straight up and fl y straight down; they can even fl y backwards.29, 30, 41 Hummingbirds often appear to be constantly in motion.29 To do so their wings beat so fast that they produce a humming sound-hence their name.29, 41 Ruby-throated hummingbirds are among the smallest birds in North America.29 Even so, hummingbirds have been described as being “exquisite, unabashed, and strangely fearless”.22
