Ruby-throated Hummingbird

hummingbirds · migration · eastern-north-america

Glowing red throat. Male ruby-throated hummingbirds have a brilliant red gorget, or throat patch, that flashes like a jewel in the sunlight. Females don't have this red patch and look mostly green instead.

Epic migration. These tiny birds spend winters in Central America and Mexico, then fly thousands of miles north to Canada and Eastern North America each spring to raise their babies. It's one of the longest migrations for any bird relative to its body size.

Most common hummingbird. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird species that regularly lives east of the Mississippi River, and there are about 35 million of them in the wild.

Impossibly fast wings. Their wings beat so fast they make a humming sound that you can actually hear. They can fly forward, backward, and hover in place while visiting flowers for nectar.

Tiny nests. Female ruby-throated hummingbirds build nests about the size of a thimble, using spider silk and plant down to create a soft cup for their eggs.