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== Behavior and ecology == [[File:Archilochus colubris Illinois (4667079265).jpg|thumb|left|Male (lower left) displaying its prominent gorget and a female ruby-throated hummingbird]] Ruby-throated hummingbirds are [[wikt:solitary|solitary]]. Adults of this species are not social, other than during courtship (which lasts a few minutes); the female also cares for her offspring. Both males and females of any age are aggressive toward other hummingbirds. They may defend territories, such as a feeding territory, attacking and chasing other hummingbirds that enter. As part of their spring migration, portions of the population fly from the [[Yucatan Peninsula]] of Mexico across the [[Gulf of Mexico]], arriving first in Florida and [[Louisiana]].<ref name=Hargrove/> This feat is impressive, as an {{convert|800|km|abbr = on}}, non-stop flight over water would seemingly require a caloric energy that far exceeds an adult hummingbird's body weight of {{Convert|3|g|abbr = on}}.<ref name=Hargrove/> However, researchers discovered the tiny birds can double their fat mass in preparation for their Gulf crossing,<ref name=zenzal/> then expend the entire calorie reserve from fat during the 20-hour non-stop crossing when food and water are unavailable.<ref name=Hargrove/><ref name=zenzal/> Hummingbirds have one of the highest metabolic rates of any animal, with heart rates up to 1260 beats per minute, breathing rate of about 250 breaths per minute even at rest, and oxygen consumption of about 4 ml oxygen/g/hour at rest.<ref>{{Cite journal | pmid = 1612136 | year = 1992 | last1 = Suarez | first1 = R. K. | title = Hummingbird flight: Sustaining the highest mass-specific metabolic rates among vertebrates | journal = Experientia | volume = 48 | issue = 6 | pages = 565β70 | doi=10.1007/bf01920240 | s2cid = 21328995 }}</ref> During flight, hummingbird oxygen consumption per gram of muscle tissue is approximately 10 times higher than that seen for elite human athletes.<ref name=Hargrove/> They feed frequently while active during the day. When temperatures drop, particularly on cold nights, they may conserve energy by entering [[Hypothermia|hypothermic]] [[Wiktionary:torpid|torpor]].<ref name=Hargrove/> === Flight === Hummingbirds have many skeletal and flight muscle adaptations which allow great agility in flight. Muscles make up 25β30% of their body weight, and they have long, blade-like wings that, unlike the wings of other birds, connect to the body only from the shoulder joint.<ref name="hedrick">{{cite journal|title=Morphological and kinematic basis of the hummingbird flight stroke: scaling of flight muscle transmission ratio|journal=Proc Biol Sci|year=2011|volume= 22279|issue=1735|pages=1986β1992|doi=10.1098/rspb.2011.2238|pmid=22171086|pmc=3311889|last1=Hedrick|first1=T. L.|last2=Tobalske|first2=B. W.|last3=Ros|first3=I. G.|last4=Warrick|first4=D. R.|last5=Biewener|first5=A. A.}}</ref> This adaptation allows the wing to rotate almost 180Β°, enabling the bird to fly not only forward but backward, and to [[hovering flight|hover in mid-air]], flight capabilities that are similar to insects and unique among birds.<ref name=hedrick/> The main wing bone, the [[humerus]], is specifically adapted for hovering flight. Hummingbirds have a relatively short humerus with proportionally massive [[deltoid muscle|deltoid]]-[[pectoralis major muscle|pectoral]] muscles which permit pronounced wing [[supination]] during upstroke when hovering.<ref name="tobalske1">{{Cite journal | pmid = 20581281| year = 2010| last1 = Tobalske| first1 = B. W.| title = Effects of flight speed upon muscle activity in hummingbirds| journal = Journal of Experimental Biology| volume = 213| issue = Pt 14| pages = 2515β23| last2 = Biewener| first2 = A. A.| last3 = Warrick| first3 = D. R.| last4 = Hedrick| first4 = T. L.| last5 = Powers| first5 = D. R.| doi = 10.1242/jeb.043844| s2cid = 9349200| url = https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/4892998/Tobalske_EffectsFlight.pdf?sequence=1| doi-access = free| bibcode = 2010JExpB.213.2515T}}</ref> A hummingbird's ability to hover is due to its small mass, high wingbeat frequency and relatively large margin of mass-specific power available for flight. Several anatomical features contribute further, including proportionally massive major flight muscles ([[pectoralis major muscle|pectoralis major]] and [[supracoracoideus]]) and wing anatomy that enables the bird to leave its wings extended yet turned over ([[supine]]) during the upstroke. This generates lift that supports body weight and maneuvering.<ref name="tobalske2">{{cite journal|title=Hovering and intermittent flight in birds|author=Tobalske BW|journal=Bioinspir Biomim|year=2010|volume=5|issue=4|page=045004|doi=10.1088/1748-3182/5/4/045004|pmid=21098953|bibcode=2010BiBi....5d5004T |s2cid=9719885}}</ref> Hummingbirds achieve ability to support their weight and hover from wing beats creating lift on the downstroke of a wing flap and also on the upstroke in a ratio of 75%:25%, respectively, similarly to an insect.<ref name=tobalske2/><ref name="warrick">{{cite journal|vauthors=Warrick DR, Tobalske BW, Powers DR |year=2005 |title=Aerodynamics of the hovering hummingbird |journal=Nature |volume=435 |issue=23 June 7045 |pages=1094β7 |doi=10.1038/nature03647 |pmid=15973407|bibcode=2005Natur.435.1094W |s2cid=4427424 |url=https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1033&context=bio_fac |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Hummingbirds and insects gain lift during hovering partially through inversion of their cambered wings during an upstroke.<ref name=warrick/> During hovering, hummingbird wings beat up to 80 times per second.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|author=Gill V|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/28563737|title=Hummingbirds edge out helicopters in hover contest|date=30 July 2014|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref> === Food and feeding === [[File:RubyThroatedHummingbird(Crop).jpg|thumb|left|Female feeding on nectar from scarlet beebalm (''[[Monarda didyma]]'')]] Nectar from [[flower]]s and flowering trees, as well as small insects and spiders, are its main food.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ruby-throated Hummingbird {{!}} Audubon Field Guide |url=https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/ruby-throated-hummingbird |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=Audubon |language=en}}</ref> Although hummingbirds are well known to feed on nectar, small [[arthropod]]s are an important source part of protein, minerals, and vitamins in the diet of adult hummingbirds. Hummingbirds show a slight preference for red, orange, and bright pink [[Cylinder (geometry)|tubular]] flowers as [[nectar]] sources, though flowers not [[Ornithophilous|adapted to hummingbird pollination]] (e.g., [[willow]] catkins) are also visited.<ref name="robinsonetal1996"/> Their diet may also occasionally include sugar-rich tree [[sap]] taken from [[sapsucker]] wells. The birds feed from flowers using a long, extendable tongue and catch insects on the wing or glean them from flowers, leaves, bark, and spiders' webs. Young birds are fed insects for [[protein]] since nectar is an insufficient source of protein for the growing birds.<ref name="robinsonetal1996"/> === Breeding === [[File:Ruby-throated hummingbird on nest 01.jpg|thumb|Female ruby-throated hummingbird on nest]] As typical for their family, ruby-throated hummingbirds are thought to be [[Polygyny in animals|polygynous]]. [[Polyandry in animals|Polyandry]] and [[polygynandry]] may also occur. They do not form breeding pairs, with males departing immediately after the reproductive act and females providing all parental care.<ref>{{cite web|author=Lanny Chambers |url=http://www.hummingbirds.net/rubythroated.html |title=Ruby-throated Hummingbird |publisher=Hummingbirds.net |access-date=13 June 2011}}</ref> Males arrive at the breeding area in the spring and establish a [[Territory (animal)|territory]] before the females arrive. When the females return, males court females that enter their territory by performing courtship displays. They perform a "dive display" rising {{Convert|2.45|-|3.1|m|ft|abbr = on}} above and {{Convert|1.52|-|1.82|m|ft|abbr = on}} to each side of the female. If the female perches, the male begins flying in very rapid horizontal [[Arc (geometry)|arc]]s less than {{Convert|0.5|m|ft|abbr = on}} in front of her. If the female is receptive to the male, she may give a call and assume a solicitous posture with her tail feathers cocked and her wings drooped.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hogan |first1=Benedict G. |last2=Stoddard |first2=Mary Caswell |date=2018-12-18 |title=Synchronization of speed, sound and iridescent color in a hummingbird aerial courtship dive |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |page=5260 |doi=10.1038/s41467-018-07562-7 |issn=2041-1723 |pmc=6299134 |pmid=30563977|bibcode=2018NatCo...9.5260H }}</ref> The nest is usually constructed on a small, downward-sloping tree limb {{convert|3.1|to|12.2|m|ft|abbr=on}} feet above the ground. Favored trees are usually [[deciduous]], such as [[oak]], [[hornbeam]], [[birch]], [[Populus|poplar]] or [[Celtis|hackberry]], although [[pine]]s have also been used. Nests have even been found on loops of chain, wire, and extension cords.<ref name= Cornell/> The nest is composed of [[bud]] scales, with [[lichen]] on the exterior, bound with spider's silk, and lined with fibers such as plant down (often [[dandelion]] or [[thistle]] down) and animal hair. Most nests are well camouflaged. Old nests may be occupied for several seasons, but are repaired annually.<ref name="robinsonetal1996"/> As in all known hummingbird species, the female alone constructs the nest and cares for the eggs and young. Females lay two (with a range of 1 to 3) white eggs about {{convert|12.9|x|8.5|mm|in|abbr=on}} in size and produce one to two broods each summer.<ref name= Cornell/> They [[avian incubation|brood]] the chicks over a period of 12 to 14 days, by which point they are feathered and [[Homeothermy|homeothermic]]. The female feeds the chicks from 1 to 3 times every hour by regurgitation, usually while the female continues hovering. When they are 18 to 22 days old, the young leave the nest and make their first flight.<ref name="robinsonetal1996"/>
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