Hummingbird

It is the time of year that the tiniest of birds fill our Houston gardens with magnificent aerial displays as they fight for the best flowers and feeders.  Many native plant gardeners thrill at the sights and sounds of these colorful jeweled fliers. While our Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the most numerous in the Houston area, other species occasionally visit. These hummers feed primarily on nectar but also eat insects and spiders. Many of our patients have smacked into windows or each other and need some supportive care as they recuperate. If you find one laying on the ground put it is a dark box and let it rest. You can try to pick it up and gently slide its beak in a hummingbird feeder to see if it drinks. It may need just a bit of sugar to give it the energy to fly off. If it does not feed and still cannot fly it may be time to bring it to the Wildlife Center. There are two primary reasons a hummingbird comes to the Wildlife Center. It is estimated that millions if not billions of birds dies each year after colliding with human-built structures. Glass windows and doors are transparent or reflective and are invisible killers. Birds see a tree reflected, not the glass. 75% of the Wildlife Center hummingbird patients are because of window strikes.  The other primary cause of unnatural  bird death is cats allowed outdoors. If possible PLEASE consider keeping your cat indoors. If not for the sake of the birds, then because you are putting your cat at risk for injury by dogs or cars and exposure to various diseases and parasites.