Momma Bear
Magic
The Joy of Hummingbird
If Hummingbird has hovered into your day, be brave and bold. Indulge in the sweet things in life. Drink it up.
The hummingbirds at my house make me laugh. When they come up the mountain in springtime, they knock on my windows to let me know they are here and ready for their feeders to be put out. The colorful boys do these extraordinary dives to catch the eye of thier sweethearts. If the fellows have their outtermost tail feathers, their dives produce a funny chirping sound. Flying in all directions, these little birds astound with their arial acrobatics. They are very brave for creatures so small. Or perhaps it is that they live with abandon. My little friends can be impatient to get the party started. Sometimes they will drink from the feeders as I hang them on the deck. They will talk to me all the while. Vibrating with joy, the hummingbirds dig right into the sweetness of life. In fact, they have an uncanny way of finding the richest sources of nectar. I grow several varieties in the garden just for them. Columbine, Lupine, and Foxglove are popular. Mom planted lots of Nepita and Penstemen that they like as well. A game of chase is in session now. When they tire, they will stop at the feeders for some refreshment, and then they are off again. They have summertime spunk. Joi de vivre. How can all that energy be contained in such a small package?
The Magic of Hummingbird
Significant Qualities
Energy
Hummingbird beats his wings approximately 70 times per second. He can travel horizontally at 30 mph and in a full dive at 60 mph. Yet he can stop immediately when needed, and change direction with ease. Hummingbird shows us the power of how we expend our own energy.
Agility
When hovering, Hummingbird’s wings move in an infinity pattern. From this place, all things are possible. With him it is never a stagnant stillness, but a limber readyness. He can move his body swiftly, change direction smoothly, and glide from here to there with great grace.
Beauty
These beautiful birds sparkle in the sun. They attract attention wherever they go.
Brave
These tiny birds often have big attitudes. Their first line of attack is vocal with loud, chirping or chittering. Charging and diving will come next. As a last resort they will use their needle-like bills and sharp talons as weapons. Hummingbird is not afraid to take on opponents much larger than themselves.
Joy
Hummingbird has a lightness of being. This reminds us to be joyful so that our heart can sore. He is not weighed down with worries, rather he makes joy his reality.
Memory
A hummingbird’s brain makes up 4.2 percent of its weight; proportionally, that’s the largest of any bird’s. By comparison, our brains are two percent of our body weight. Studies have shown that hummingbirds can remember migration routes and every flower they’ve ever visited. They can also figure out how long to wait between visits so the flowers have time to generate more nectar. They can even recognize humans!
Time
Day: Unknown
Month: May
Season: Summer
Sabbat: Beltane
Moon: Unknown
Planet: Sun
Celestial: Unknown
Magic
Chakra: Throat
Tarot: Fool
Rune: Unknown
Archetype: Innocent
Gods: A
Nature Spirits: Unknown
Symbols
Stone: Infinite Stone, Labradorite Herb: Hummingbird Sage,
Element: Air
Number: Unknown
Direction: Unknown
Gender: Masculine
Color: Red, Green
The Science of Hummingbird
Ornithology
Latin Name: Selasphorus platycercus (Broad-tailed Hummingbird)
Family (Family): Trochilidae (Hummingbird Family)
Other names: J
Group name: A charm of hummingbirds
Female: Hatchling
Male: Hummingbird
Baby: Hummingbird
Type: Bird
Size: roughly 2-5 in.
Weight: 0.09 oz.
Life expectancy: 3
Sustainability: Least Concern
Behavior
Shelter
The female will build her cup shaped nest in a few day, without the help of her suitors. It will be velvety, compact, and elastic in order to stretch as the young chicks grow. Made from woven twigs and plant fibers, the crucial ingredient is spider silk. This will be used to secure the nest to it foundation and will bind the nest sides for strength and elasticity. Often the females return and reuse their nest from previous years.
Range
This hummingbird ranges from wintering as far south as Guatemala to summering as far north as Western Canada during summer. They can be found at elevations up to 10,500 feet.
Diet
Hummingbird drinks nectar from tubular flowers. The high in sugar content helps to keep their energy up and he will visit an average of 1,000 flowers per day. However, nectar is a low-protein food. For proteins, they also eat small insects grabbed from leaves, snatched from midair, or plucked from spiderwebs.
Mating
The hummingbird is promiscuous, not forming bonded pairs. Males and females only interact for the prupose of mating. The gents get around, and may copulate with as many as six ladies each spring. To attract female interest, the males will show off in aerial diving displays.
Gestation
The mother will lay two tiny white eggs (1.2–1.5 cm) in her gossimer nest. Alone, she will incubate them 16 – 19 days. Her chicks will get their feathers after 10 days or so, and will be left to their own devices after several weeks.
Predators
Natural predators for the Hummingbird include larger birds, but the agressiveness of hummingbird has been known to fend off even hawks. Cats, snakes, and frogs have also made a meal of these small birds.
The Folklore of Hummingbird
Proverbs and Sayings
British Proverb
You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
Texas Proverb
Don’t let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird ass.
Italian Proverb
Korean Proverb
Dutch Proverb
Latin Proverb
Traditional Proverb
If fat geese sell for 10 cents a pound, I couldn’t buy a hummingbird.
A hummingbird hovers above the branches outside the window.
Soon the earth will rise again.
Waking from earth’s sleep,
green leaves begin to emerge.
Tiny purple flowers bloom like tiny notes of music.
Háshínee’, and so it is.