I just saw one of these little guys poking at the potted marigolds on my deck. Residents of Northeastern states are reporting that they seem to be noticing more hummingbirds this year. The species that’s found in New York and other Northeastern states is the Ruby-Throated hummingbird.
The website allaboutbirds reports that “Ruby Throated hummingbirds grow to an adult size of 2.8 to 3.5 inches, weigh about 0.1 to 0.2 ounces, and have a wingspan of 8 to 11 centimeters.”
A rebound in hummingbird populations would be a welcome change, as during the twenty-oughts there were reports of a nationwide decline in their population possibly as a result of pesticides that were toxic to the little birds. One theory of why there may be a rebound is that decreased use of the pesticide Roundup, a by-product of abundant news coverage regarding it’s potential as a carcinogen, may mean that today’s hummingbird populations are healthier than they were a decade ago. Another theory is that an increase in gardening as a pass-time during the Covid shutdowns last year may have lead to substantial increases in plantings of flowers that provide food sources for the little birds, so they are able to feast themselves on flower nectar and aphids from all of those “Covid gardens”.