Hummingbirds At Home

During spring migration, hummingbirds like this Ruby-throat rely on the nectar of flowering plants. But flowers blooming earlier because of warming temperatures could affect them severely. To better understand and protect these marvelous birds, Audubon has launched a new citizen-science initiative: Hummingbirds at Home. The project will help scientists understand how climate change, flowering patterns, and feeding by people are affecting hummingbirds. Your reports could make a difference!

BirdNote®

Hummingbirds at Home

Written by Todd Peterson

This is BirdNote.

[Whirring wings of Ruby-throated Hummingbird]

After making marathon journeys north during springtime, many hummingbirds rely on the nectar of flowering plants. So flowers blooming earlier because of warming temperatures could affect them severely. Some hummingbirds travel thousands of miles. Flapping their wings 50 times a second, they may fly nonstop for hours. But will the birds’ arrival coincide with the blossoms? 1/

[Chatter of Ruby-throated Hummingbird]

To better understand and protect these marvelous birds, National Audubon has launched a new citizen-science initiative: Hummingbirds at Home. The project will help scientists understand how climate change, the timing of flowering, and feeding by people are affecting hummingbirds.

[Whirring hummingbird wings]

On Audubon’s Hummingbirds at Home website you can document when, where and on what hummingbirds are feeding. Your reports will help scientists learn how changes to habitat are affecting the birds. A free mobile app makes it easy to report hummingbirds as they visit your garden or favorite habitat.

[Display and call of Rufous Hummingbird]

You can participate at any level – from reporting a single sighting to recording hummingbird activity in your community throughout the life of the project. Document the hummingbirds’ comings and goings and help ensure the future of these often brilliant and feisty birds.

[Repeat display and call of Rufous Hummingbird]

Today’s show is brought to you by the Lufkin Family Foundation. You’ll find a link to Hummingbirds at Home, on our website, birdnote.org

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Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Ruby-throated Hummingbird wing whir and calls [6116] recorded by R.S. Little; display and call of Rufous Hummingbird [109124] recorded by G.A. Keller.

Suburban ambient with light dog bark recorded by C. Peterson M III Track 209 :30

BirdNote’s theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.

Producer: John Kessler Executive Producer: Chris Peterson

ID# hummingbirdsathome-01-2013-06-04hummingbirdsathome-01