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  • About iDigBio and the AR Collection Card Project
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  • Macrofungi: The Daisy Earthstar
    • Take a Closer Look: Daisy Earthstars
  • The Consortia of North American Lichens and Bryophytes: Greygreen Reindeer Lichen
    • Take a Closer Look: Reindeer moss
  • New England Vascular Plants: The Cardinal Flower
  • Keys to the Cabinet: SE Plants: The White-topped Pitcher Plant
  • Invertnet Collection Network: The Thorn Bug
    • Take a Closer Look: Thorn Bug Treehopper
  • Paleoniches: Brachiopods
  • Ammonite
  • iDigBio: Channel Catfish
  • Great Lakes Invasive Network: Zebra mussel
  • Tri-Trophic Thematic Collection Network: Stink Bug Parasitoid
  • Macroalgal: Elk Kelp
  • Insect Fossils: Tsetse Fly
  • SCAN: Earth-boring Scarab Beetle
  • InvertEBase: Carolina Mantis
  • EPICC: Fossil Crab
  • Animal Communication: Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Poweshiek Skipperling
  • RINGTAIL
  • Tarantula Hawk
    • Take a Closer Look: at the Tarantula Hawk
  • Sonoran Mantid
  • California Leaf-nosed Bat
    • Take a Closer Look: Bat Wings
  • Pipevine Swallowtail
    • Plants to attract Pipevine Swallowtails
  • Desert Hairy Scorpion
  • Gila Monster
  • Ocotillo
  • California Poppy
  • Anna's hummingbird
    • Plants to attract Hummingbirds
  • Monarch
    • Plants to attract Monarchs
  • Bumblebee
    • Plants to Attract Bumblebees
  • White-nosed coati
  • Asian Long-horned beetle
    • ALB Life Cycle
  • Learning Resources
    • Latitude and Longitude Game
  • Special Thanks
  • Give Us Your Feedback!
  • Contact Us
  • Specimen Cards
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TEST page
  • Human Evolution lab
  • Skull 8

The RubY-throated Hummingbird: Did you know?

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Click on link to download card
Archilochus colubris
 
Video credit: 
www.youtube.com/MyBackyardBirding 

Understanding animal behavior is all about observation of a species in the field.  Watch this video.  Is the throat of this hummingbird red or black? 


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Hummingbirds, like many bird species, communicate through a variety of actions, including visual display, physical interaction, chirping, and chattering. However, they also have a rather unique method of communication. Male ruby-throated hummingbirds have iridescent feathers, which are used to attract females and deter other males. These iridescent colors are caused by both pigments and microscopic ridges, which create a grid that reflects different light patterns depending on the distance from the display. This is important in attracting mates, as hummingbirds have excellent color vision and can even see ultraviolet light. Male ruby-throated hummingbirds display their colors and agility to females in daring courtship displays. This display involves diving from heights of up to 50 feet and flying side-to-side in front of the female.

Male and female ruby-throated hummingbirds stay together only briefly after mating and will separate for migration as early as August. Although they can survive chilly nights by entering a state of sleep-like torpor, hummingbirds do not last long in very cold environments. For this reason, most ruby-throated hummingbirds will migrate south across the Gulf of Mexico. While they are in their southern range, hummingbirds replace their old feathers through molting, which is also when young males first grow their iridescent throats.
For more information click the Cornell logo below and watch a live WebCam of hummingbirds!  
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Click to listen to the sound of a Ruby-throated hummingbird. 

Credits: 
Project's Library of Life Lead: Edwin Scholes
3D Imaging: Anne Basham and Adam Chmurzynski
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Archilochus colubris records
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