A more relaxing approach to getting a meal. There are few birds more captivating than hummingbirds. Their speed, beauty, stamina, and survivability are just so impressive and magical. I also think their tiny feet are incredibly cute. Hummingbirds are the smallest bird species. Ruby-throated hummingbirds, like the one pictured, weigh about the equivalent of a US nickel (other species are even smaller), so perching on a flower stem to collect some nectar – that’s doable for a hummingbird. Eating Like A Bird in this case looks a lot more leisurely than a hummingbird’s usual hovering style. That doesn’t mean it was any less leisurely for me to get this shot when it was taken this past summer! Hummingbirds don’t stay still for long out in the open.They have a very high metabolism and have to eat all day long just to survive. They consume about half their body weight in bugs and nectar, feeding every 10-15 minutes. Hummingbirds eat small insects, beetles, ants, aphids, gnats, mosquitoes, and wasp. We're always learning about these birds. As I write this blog post during winter, birding groups in my area have reported seeing a live, and apparently well, Rufous Hummingbird in Northern Virginia.  We've already experienced snow and below freezing temperatures in the region, so that is a testament to the survivability of some hummingbirds.
 
See my additional blog post on Hummingbirds here: https://www.copperrangellc.com/blog/2020/7/the-spirit-of-a-fallen-warrior-a-new-year-with-the-wonders-of-hummingbirds

Read more about this blog here: https://www.copperrangellc.com/blog/2020/12/eating-like-a-bird.