Ruby-throated Hummingbirds Return for the Summer

We are so excited to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) once again frequenting the Visitor Center feeders!

Tiny, bejeweled beauties, ruby-throated hummingbirds are the only species of hummingbird that breed in Pennsylvania. Adult males sport the flashy ruby throat, but both sexes are equally as beautiful with vibrant emerald plumage. Such tiny birds need lots of energy to travel, with some flying over 2,000 miles from their breeding grounds in the northeastern U.S. to their wintering grounds in Central America. That’s a lot of work when your wings flap over 60 times per second! Planting bee balm, trumpet vine, cardinal flower, and other native plant species gives them a food source to refuel and can help attract them to your property.

Photo by Bill Moses.