Hummingbird Update!

[dragonlili]

For those who didn't know, my Lab brought us a hummingbird yesterday. Pretty amazing since I haven't even filled my feeders since May and with this drought I have no flowers right now.

Her wing feathers are missing on one side, but there does not appear to be damage to the wing itself. We've had her for over 24 hours and she's looking alert and moving around a bit.
I'm giving her hummingbird nectar and it looks like she must be drinking it it. Ater all, theyneed about 55 meals a day.

Don't know what I'm doing here!! Just playing it by ear. Do you think those wing faethers will grow back? If I put her outside I have 2 kitties that would chomp her up ( and 24 chickens who might think of doing so!)

 

[Southern28Chick]

I think the feathers will grow back, as long as the skin wasn't torn. I'd keep her until the feathers were back and then release her back into the wild. You're right about how much they need to eat. A hummingbird can starve to death without for for just 2 hours. I learned that on animal planet.

 

[erinm]

I wish i had that problem , then I would have an excuse for the food I eat!

 

[Bubba]

If you want to be like a hummingbird Erinm then you better start RUNNING. I'm not talking jogging either. If you ran like a hummingbird flys then you could eat just about anything you wanted as long as you could keep it down haha

If the bird isn't flying then I doubt it needs a ton of food everyday. It will still have a super fast metabolism just not like when it's flying constantly.

Glad to hear its still alive and kicking. You might just end up with a pet hummingbird just remember to offer it food if it hangs around in the fall/winter (It should migrate) Thou your raising it might mess with the instincts you may even have to bring it indoors during the winter if it gets to humanized and it snows where your at.

Bubba

 

[erinm]

erinM

 

[dragonlili]

Well I have no idea how long it will take for the wing feathers to grow back, but if it interferes with migration, I guess we'll have a pet hummingbird!!

I can't see putting her out before then, I have too many animals that would consider her a nice treat.

She appears to be well otherwise, my daughter saw her bopping around a bit today.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Check with your Fish & Game dept. They may know of a wildlife rehabilitator that could take the hummer. We've got several up here in NC

 

[ivan3]

They're pretty tough customers for being so tiny. It's been so hot and dry here that, when I go out to water, I'm pretty much bombed by the hummers until I spray the Wisteria (at which point they all go to bathe on the leaves and drink up). Good luck on the rehab.

This is a short segment that aired on NPR some time ago on the experience of a hummingbird rehabber - just hit the listen button.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5073214

 

[ozark hen]

My only thought was the migration, too. If you are doing fine with it then keep it and keep feeding it. I pray it will have feathers back before migration as some don't leave until late Sept. Keeping our fingers crossed for you.