Student Artist Name, Age, School, State
Sam, 11, Sharon Center School, CT

Age Group
11--13

Name of Bird
Ruby-throated humming bird

Description

Physical Characteristics:

* Average length: 3.5 inches (8.9 cm)
* Average weight: 1/8 ounce (3.1 g)
* Body temperature: 105°-108° F (40.5°-42.2°C)
* Color: Males, emerald green, black iridescent ruby throat, forked tail with no white and the male is smaller than the female. The female, emerald green, black with a white breast and throat. They have a rounded tail with white ends. The female is larger with a bigger bill.
* Heart rate: 250 beats/min resting; 1200 beats/min feeding
* Flight speed: 30 mph (48 kph) normal; 50 mph (80 kph) escape; 63 mph (101 kph) dive

Behavior:

* Flight speed: 30 mph
* Feeding: feeds on mostly nectar and sometimes eats insects and spiders.
* Nesting: They make walnut-sized nests built by the female on a tree. The inside of the nest is covered in dandelions, cattail, or thistle.

Habitat:

* Suburban areas
* Gardens
* Parks
* Woodlands
* They migrate to Midwestern North America and they spend most of their winters in Mexico, Central America and other tropic or Caribbean Islands.

Survival Requirements:

* The thing the humming bird needs to survive is mostly their food. Too much sugar given by humans may harm them.

Current threats to survival:
* They are attracted to red circuit boxes for electric fences which may kill them.