Photo Rodolfo Alvarez.
To understand the dynamics associated with landscaping to attract birds such as hummingbirds is necessary to explain some concepts related to their behavior. The ornithophily is pollination of flowers by birds. This is a coevolutionary association . This is a phenomenon of mutual evolutionary adaptation produced between two or more species of living beings as a result of interplay of relationships such as pollination (among many other factors) that involves numerous distinct adaptations in plants, forming a floral syndrome. (1) A floral syndrome is a set of characters of flowers designed to attract a particular type of pollinator. Include characters such as shape, size, color, type and amount of reward, nectar chemical composition, time and time of flowering. (2)
The earliest mention in the annals of hummingbirds historical data of Taino American Indians who inhabited the Caribbean islands , who were the first native to receive Columbus when he arrived in America. The Tainos believed that hummingbirds were the spreaders of life on earth. Tribes were very warlike and are known to know their wrestlers as warriors Hummingbird, or hummingbird. This is because despite being a peaceful bird, defend their territory with the heart of an eagle. (3)
the hummingbirds in Mexico are associated with love and religion and the ancient Aztec god Huitzilopochtli is represented by a hummingbird.
Photo Rodolfo Alvarez.
The main families of birds specialized to feed on nectar in the New World are and hermit hummingbirds ( Trochilidae). Living in America, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego . Are also some groups of species in other families as Icteridae (including grackles, blackbirds, and orioles in America, Icterus), Thraupidae (called tanagers).
The family Trochilidae, the hummingbird known, was recently ranked in the order Trochiliformes by Charles Sibley, formerly among the Apodiformes. The family of hummingbirds includes over 100 genera .
The family contains two subfamilies:
· Phaethornithinae which includes hermits. Its characteristics are that the three front toes are stuck on the base. They also have feathers direction (central rectrices ) extremely elongated. The hermits have a plumage that is mainly brown without iridescence.
· Trochilinae which includes hummingbirds . Fingers are separated. Its tail feathers (rectrices central ) not elongated. (4). The colors are bright display, a green iridescent , usually cash. Their throats can vary from bright red, blue, emerald green, but only present in males.
Hummingbirds
Photo of William H. Chaves
These birds are characterized by their small size, ranging from 5 cm up to 25 cm . Are distinguished because they move their wings at a rate that can reach 60 to 80 kph , can fly up to 200 times its length per second. They have a very fast heart rhythm, can emit up to 80 beats per second.
Flight of the Hummingbird
Hummingbirds flight rapid, powerful wing beats are so close together that produce a buzz. can flap their wings up to 70 times per second making stay in the same place while sucking nectar, although this may vary depending on the species, the giant hummingbird, Patagonia gigas the , measuring about 25 cm flaps its wings only about 10 times per second . Most medium-sized hummingbirds beat their wings about 20 to 25 times per second, or 1200 to 1500 flapping per minute. To get away from flowers hummingbirds have to fly backwards and are the only birds capable of performing this maneuver. This can be done because they are the only birds capable of rotating the main structures of the wings in any direction.
Hummingbird Diet
Photo Rodolfo Alvarez.
To understand how the hummingbird pollinates the flowers you need to understand what is hummingbird diet. Hummingbirds or hummingbird-feeding flower nectar and are important pollinators. The hummingbird needs to eat every 10 minutes , this means that food consumed about 2 / 3 their body weight each day. A hummingbird can starve to just stop eating two hours, this happens when, for example accidentally gets locked inside a room but e n night, or in situations where there is no food readily available, are able to enter into a sort of hibernation dramatically reducing their metabolism and heart rate and breathing, thus reducing their need for food. They eat up almost into the night and then sleep until sunrise . The hummingbird survives mainly of sugar obtained from the nectar of flowers. Can get a good supply when there is an abundant flowering. This food is energy but low protein, vitamins and minerals, so supplement their diet hunting small insects. Like bees can estimate the amount of sugar in a flower and ignore that we are suited to their needs. (5) They prefer ronde sugar 25%, if less than 15% nondrinkers. Nectar consumption is more important for species with flowers by how the flowers are pollinated.
plants to attract hummingbirds
pollinate flowers that are colorful birds often red or orange , also yellow, white, blue or purple indicating that there is visual appeal. They have a tubular corolla, which prevents many other pollinators harvesting nectar. Have no smell, because the olfactory ability of hummingbirds is poor, and this prevents the flower can be reached by insects that use smell to navigate.
The stigma and stamens have an orientation that ensures contact with the pollinator. Hummingbirds do not pollinate the flowers by the way, is more a product of accident coevolution, as I mentioned at the beginning. They use their long tongue to suck nectar from flowers through coiled structure on the outside of the language. Hummingbird have to stick their long, sharp peak in the center of the flower to reach the nectar, while you get your peak or the front of the head is covered with pollen . When the hummingbird nectar has already extracted, it will to fly away, but 10 minutes you eat again, which means that in a short time and will be introducing its peak in another flower. Hummingbird introduces pollen from one flower to another. The pollen that received came from the stamens of one plant and, when the bird feeds on another flower, pollen often permeates the stigma of the new plant. This is a cross has been effective because effectively the male component in females of two different flowers, which can lead to reproduction and growth of new plants.
As peak of hummingbirds is a strong, sharp, the flowers have structures of various types to prevent ovaries are damaged during removal of the nectar that makes the bird. peaks of hummingbirds vary in design, size and curvature, depending on the size and shape of the favorite flower of each species.
Photo of William H. Chaves
Distribution of hummingbirds
around 330 species of hummingbirds that occur only in America. There is great diversity in almost all Central America, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. The country that stands for the greatest number of species is Ecuador, has about 130 different types of hummingbirds and can be seen in almost all its territory, from the lowlands on both sides of the Andes and surprisingly, even in very high mountains. They have the ability to adapt to high and cold areas so they are the main pollinators in the absence of insects and bats. Some species inhabit only moors above 4,000 meters above sea level, for example Oreotroch Chimborazo Hus, known as Estrellita, sucking nectar from chuquiraguas ( Chuquiraga jussieui ).
In Costa Rica are extremely abundant as they have identified about 54 species, is one of the countries with more diverse compared to the U.S. which has only 20 species. (4)
The importance of hummingbirds is that they are very effective in pollination and smart enough to remember the varieties of plants containing the sweetest nectar plants and what are the most abundant . The result is that many hummingbirds return to the same area and visit the same plant species every year, helping the species that need to be pollinated and make the nectar is more abundant love.
In tropical forests, is therefore where we found a close relationship between the hummingbirds with certain plant species, is of great importance for ecosystems to be pollinators of many plants. Unfortunately, the deforestation of many forests to expand crops, pasture or to develop cities has significantly decreased the habitat for many species.
Photo of William H. Chaves
Endangered Species
The IUCN declare that the 322 known species, there 9 in critically endangered, 11 very and threatened 9 more like vulnerable, ie there 29 endangered species.
two species of hummingbirds already ceased to exist, the Emerald Brace ( Chlorostilbon bracei ) was endemic to the Bahamas and New Providence and the Emerald Gould ( Chlorostilbon elegans) that existed in Jamaica and Bahamas. The main threat comes from the indiscriminate felling of trees, an activity that leads to fragmentation, degradation and destruction of natural habitats. (5) Highly threatened species are:
Aglaeactis aliciae is a critically threatened species (with an estimated population of less than 250 individuals) is limited to a small area of \u200b\u200bhigh Maranon de La Libertad and Ancash, has been seen in the hamlet of West Old Mill Peru.
Taphrolesbia griseiventris , Grey-bellied Hummingbird Longtail is endemic of Peru, northern and central part Andes. This species is considered endangered because their range is very small, currently only five known sites inhabited and the population could be very data were limited and disintegrated by very small areas of fragmented subpopulations.
In Costa Rica lives a hummingbird that is unique, the Mangrove Hummingbird, Amazilia boucardi , is endemic in our country. It is found only in habitats such as Térraba-Sierpe National Wetlands mangroves and other Pacific coast from the Nicoya Peninsula to the Golfo Dulce. It feeds on nectar from flowers piñuela mangle, a mangrove tree in the Pacific, as well as the nectar of other plants of these ecosystems. (6) is endangered by the decrease in mangrove area.
Amazilia luciae is endemic to a place in western Honduras, the population of so-called Emerald Hummingbird is in danger of extinction due to indiscriminate felling of forests bear's habitat.
Doncha eliza , tailed Hummingbird is a species endemic monotypic of Mexico that is found in coastal dunes of Yucatan and Quintana Roo . The Ministry of Urban Development and Ecology in this state sees this variety as a species in danger of extinction .
Eulidia yarrellii , the smallest bird of Chile and second among hummingbirds in miniature of the world. The Ornithologists' Union de Chile warned of the dramatic population decline of this hummingbird Arica. It has been determined that a major cause is the application of pesticides in tomatoes in the Valley Azapa of Arica, and the replacement of native forests, with trees "Chuva" and "Chan" that are key to its power to extend the monocultures.
Hummingbird zunzuncito known as hummingbird bee hummingbird, humming bird or bee is elf the smallest species of hummingbirds and other birds. inhabits Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud (Isla de Pinos).
barely 5 centimeters. Half its total length corresponds to the peak and tail. It weighs 2 grams in adults.
Streptosolen jamesonii, photo by Guillermo Chaves.
Flowers to attract hummingbirds
interesting thing about this hummingbird garden is that plants are proposed to attract a rich diversity of species and belong to completely different families, although their flowers may resemble in their outward appearance.
need to select plants with more flowers, longer and in more than one season. The planting of these plants near windows can be a good idea because we can have a view of beautiful birds. You need to plan the selection of flowers so that it can achieve a staggered sequence during the months of the year.
Plants of the genus Heliconia have sticky tendrils that help the adhesion of pollen to the soft structures like the beak of the species of Trochilidae . Are very important for some gardens producing flowers for export, since by means of hummingbirds have been able to make hybrids, especially in the plant family Heliconidae . (7)
The curved-billed hummingbird flowers with corolla used in this way, such as family Gesneriaceae .
Attracting hummingbirds is as easy as planting flowers in your garden right, along with a reliable water source by way of emitter. As stated before the hummingbirds diet requires both a source of energy (nectar ) as a source of protein ( small insects). A hummingbird garden plants is the safest way to provide both components.
Photo Guillermo Chaves H.
hummingbird feeders
also Hummingbirds can be attracted to artificial feeders . They provide an energy supply based on sugar. This way to attract hummingbirds is doing that, like any wildlife that is fed artificially, they become easy food addicts, and further undermining the natural physical balance. Apparently the sugar changes in the body of the hummingbird and becomes a substance like alcohol is addictive.
Nectar fact if you want to use a feeder must have the same natural ingredients from plants. I do not know an appropriate way to do it. (You hear suggestions.)
feeders can help if there is a shortage of plants. These feeders can contribute greatly to their survival. We must always remember to keep the feeder clean and not use chemicals for cleaning. The nectar should be replaced every 2 or 3 days.
To help with the knowledge of native and naturalized plants that attract hummingbirds recommend the continuation of an article documenting hope to go slowly on this theme:
To help with the knowledge of native and naturalized plants that attract hummingbirds recommend the continuation of an article documenting hope to go slowly on this theme:
Photo of William H. Chaves
The only sustainable solution that biological diversity of these species is protecting their habitat, and by all means preventing further deforestation of primary forests are very fragmented and left. It is preferable to avoid the artificial feeding if you can have plenty of flowering native plants to feed themselves.
(1) http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coevoluci% C3% B3n
(2) http://es.wikiwix.com/? lang = en & action = Trochilidae
(3) http://www.etoxtr.com/es/278.html
(4) http://es.wikipedia.org/ wiki / Trochilidae
(5) http://www.enextincion.com/tags/el-colibri
(6) http://bionauta.lacoctelera.net/post/2007/02/01/colibries-precisas-maquinas-miniatura
(7) http://www.guiascostarica.com/espx/ aves17.htm
(8) http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr/rothschildia/v5n1/textos/26.html
http://www.voltairenet.org/article160820 . html
