Ruby-throated Hummingbirds become accustomed to humans quickly and may even approach them inquisitively, particularly when they are wearing red articles of clothing – a color that they have come to learn to associate with food. However, if there is plenty of food to go around, they may occupy territories only 50 feet apart. Ruby-throats males generally display aggressive territoriality toward rival hummingbirds, other birds, and even insects such as bees, butterflies, and sphinx moths near their favorite feeder. They may also visit local hummingbird feeders for some sugar water. In winter, when flowering plants may not be readily available, they often drink the sap from holes created by sapsuckers, as a substitute for nectar. The mostly tubular-shaped flowers actually exclude most bees and butterflies from feeding on them and, subsequently, from pollinating the plants. As the hummingbirds thrust their long bills deep into the flowers for nectar their faces are dusted in pollen, which they then carry to the stigma of a nearby similar plant. Many native and cultivated plants on whose flowers hummingbirds feed heavily rely on them for pollination. Sometimes they may be seen hanging on the flower while feeding. They use their long, extendible, straw-like tongues to retrieve the nectar while hovering with their tails cocked upward as they are licking at the nectar up to 13 times per second. For those seeking to attract hummingbirds to their backyard, these are excellent plant choices to establish in your garden. Their favorite feeding plants include wild bergamots, bee balms, red buckeye ( Aesculus pavia), spotted jewelweed, columbine ( Aquilegia canadensis), trumpet creeper ( Campsis radicans), red morning-glory ( Ipomea coccinea), trumpet- or coral-honeysuckle ( Lonicera sempervirens), fly-honeysuckle ( Lonicera canadensis), cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis), catchflies ( Silene) and fire-pink ( Silene virginica). They typically choose flowers with the highest sugar content (often red-colored and tubular-shaped) and seek out, and aggressively protect, those areas containing flowers with high-energy nectar. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds primarily feed on nectar taken from over 30 plant species – favoring those with red, long, tubular flowers with dilute nectar. General Ruby-throated Hummingbird Information (Distribution / Habitat / Description, Lifespan, etc.) Ruby-throated Reproduction / Nesting
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