Hummingbirds: "The Birds that Kiss the Flowers"

The following is an adaptation of a short legend by Pura Belpre. The actual legend can be found in translation in a collection of Belpre legends entitled Once in Puerto Rico (included in the bibliography).

The Legend of the Hummingbird

Long long ago . . . far up in the hills there was once a small pool fed by a waterfall that tumbled down the side of a mountain. It was the favorite place of Alida, the daughter of a great and powerful Indian chief.
One day when Alida came to the pool to rest after a long walk, she was startled by a stranger-a young indian not from her tribe who was picking fruit from the trees.
He told her about himself to make her feel at home. He was a member of an enemy tribe who had been left behind after an attack and had lived in the forest by the pool ever since. Alida and Taroo became good friends. They would meet often at the pool. Their meetings were always brief so that no one would discover their secret friendship. In spite of Alida's precautions, there came a day when someone saw them and told her father. Alida was forbidden to return to the pool, and her father decided to arrange a wedding to a man of his own choosing in order to put an end to Alida and Taroo's romance.
Alida was grief stricken and prayed to her god for help. "Do not let me marry this man whom I do not love!" The god took pity on her and changed her into a beautiful red flower.
Meanwhile, Taroo, knowing nothing of Alida's saddness, still waited for her by the pool, but she never arrived. One night, the moon took pity on him and called out "Do not wait for Alida. Your secret has been found out, and to avoid marrying another man, she cried out to the gods for help and was changed into a delicate red flower." "Help me to find Alida", Taroo cried out. The gods took pity on him also and changed him into a small multi-colored bird saying "Fly, Colibri, find your love among the flowers." His wings made a humming sound as he rapidly flew away.
In the morning, the indians saw the new bird darting among the flowers as swift as an arrow and as bright as a jewel. They heard the humming of his wings and saw him hovering over every flower he passed and kissing the petals. They liked the bird with the music in his wings and called it a hummingbird.
Ever since then the little bird has hovered over every flower he finds, but he returns most often to the red ones still looking for Alida. He has not found her yet.

exerpt from: http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1982/5/82.05.09.x.html

From Peter Guanikeyu Torres, President and Council Chief of the Taino Indigenous Nation of the Caribbean and Florida as quoted in: http://www.hummingbirds.net/about.html

"The Taino Native American people were the first people to meet Columbus in 1492. The Hummingbird is the symbol of the spreader of life on the Earth. It also symbolizes the rebirth of the Taino Indian Nation of the Caribbean and Florida. We also call our Warriors, Colibri Warriors (Hummingbird Warriors), as the Hummingbird is very peaceful but, it protects it own homeland with the heart of a Eagle. Our history tells us the small Hummingbirds were at one time small flies that Agueybaba the Sun Father transformed one day into little birds."

Here's a Maya tale from Gerry Snyder about the origin of hummingbirds also quoted from:http://www.hummingbirds.net/about.html

"From a tale told by the Maya Indians of southern Mexico, Yucatan, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras:

Long and long ago when the world was not quite finished, the Maya Great God looked around the sacred place where he had been making the different kinds of birds. He had made birds of every sort and size, each one good in its own way, and now he thought the making of birds was finished.

But just then he spied a few scraps of grayish feathers, a long thin beak, some tiny bits of bone and muscles and such that had not been used. He could not bear to waste even these small scraps, and so he took them in his hands gently, joining this to that to form the birdshape, and adding the long beak last of all. Then he gave this new small bird the gift of life.

It fluttered its tiny wings, opened its bright black eyes and looked up at its maker. And the Great God smiled down, thinking how small it was, how very small. Smaller than any other bird he had ever made. Even with that long beak it measured no more than the length of a man's thumb!

The Great God frowned, wondering if a shorter beak would have been better, but then shook his head. This small one was designed to feed on the nectar of flowers--good food that no other birds could reach easily--and a long beak was needed. And so was a long tongue that could reach out even beyond the beak tip to flick off bits of yellow pollen dust for added nourishment and to aid in catching insects buried in a flower cup or flitting past in mid-air.

To gather such food, the small one needed unusual flying skills, as well as the long bill and tongue. So the Great God made sure it could fly forward or backward, straight up or straight down, on a zigzag, or even upside down for a quick turnabout, and he also gave it the ability to hover almost endlessly in mid-air. Oh, yes! What this small one lacked in size, it more than made up for in talents.

With an upward toss of his hand, the god sent it flying off to find its place in the world. For a moment it hovered there, just above his fingertips, the wings whirring so fast that the air passing through the feathers played a little humming tune that sounded like `dzu-nu-ume, dzu-nu-ume!' The Great God smiled to hear it, for he knew the Mayas would call this smallest one Dzunuume, `The Hummer.'

Of course the Great God knew one bird of a kind is not enough. Every creature has to have its mate. He called on his magic powers and before him were more grayish feathers and tiny bones and a long beak, just like the ones he had used before. He put them all together in the same way and gave this new little bird the gift of life, too, so that Dzunuume would have his mate. Then he told the two of them to make this their wedding day and live happily ever after. And off he went to attend to other matters.

Some birds who had been lingering nearby heard the word "wedding" and came fluttering down eager to see the bride and groom and have a part in the celebration. First a sweet-voiced Solitare Thrush offered to sing its flute-like song for their wedding music. Then a gentle breeze came along and began to shake down fragrant flower petals for a carpet. Bright-winged butterflies gathered in a dancing circle to mark out the room. Even some spiders wanted to help and began spinning their most delicate webs to decorate the bridal pathway, telling the bride that she could use them afterward to build her nest. And the great sun overhead held himself ready to send down his rays for a blessing.

"Oh, everything will be so beautiful!" chirped a little brown-streaked House Finch with cap and throat as red as chili peppers. "Everything beautiful for a beautiful bride and a handsome groom. The most beau-" And then he stopped short, as if he wished he could swallow his tongue or take back the words. For Dzunuume and his little mate were not beautiful. Not in the least. Their feathers were a dull, drab gray. No pretty colors at all.

The House Finch looked around at the other birds and the other birds looked back at him, all very much concerned. Something had to be done. Somehow these two small gray ones had to be made beautiful.

The long-tailed Quetzal bird, the most splendid bird in all Maya land, was the first to speak. "Please help yourselves to some of my feathers," he offered, spreading his long green tail plumes.

"And take some of mine, please," called a Violet-green Swallow, skimming low enough for them to pluck the pearl-white feathers from her breast. The kind offers were accepted the moment they were made. In a trice the bride and groom were feathered in glistening green and white.

"Now you need some of my red feathers for a scarf," exclaimed the House Finch. He promptly gave so many red feathers to Dzunuume that he could spare only one or two for the little bride.

Before anyone else could add any other colors, the sun came out from behind a cloud where he had been waiting impatiently and pronounced the two little green-coats married forever and always. For a blessing he sent down his most dazzling rays straight to little Dzunuume's throat, making the red scarf feathers flash red and gold like a leaping flame.

"Oh-h-h! Ah-h-h!" cried the birds and butterflies and spiders and the breeze together in wonder. And then another dazzling ray made the green feathers on each small back shine like polished jade.

"Oh-h-h! Ah-h-h!" they all cried again. And then they heard the voice of the sun making a solemn promise.

"The feathers of all hummingbirds will always gleam with this fire-and-jade magic," he said, "so long as they look toward me, face to face. But whenever they turn away from the light, their feathers will darken again to remind them of the gray feathers they first wore-and would still wear if it were not for the unselfish gifts of their new friends."

And so it was on that day when the world was young, and so it has been ever since. When the Great God saw how beautiful these first humming-birds had become, he made other tiny long-billed hummers with radiant hues, giving their feathers all the shining colors of the rainbow, every tint and shade and mixture of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. He asked the sun to give each one his magic fire-and-jewel blessing, and the sun did so gladly. To this day, whenever hummingbirds turn away from the sun's light, some of their shining feathers darken to drab, like fire turning to ashes."

Mint Family
Salvias (Salvia spp.)
Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)
Giant Hyssop (Agastache spp.)

Columbines
Aquilegia spp.

Honeysuckles
Lonicera spp.
esp. Trumpet Honeysuckle
(L. sempervirens) Bignonia Family
Trumpet Creeper
Cross Vine
Desert Willow
Yellow Bells

Penstemons
Penstemon spp.
Lobelias
Lobelia spp.
esp. Cardinal Flower (L. cardinalis)
L. laxiflora

Mallow Family
Turk's Cap
Flowering Maple (Abutilon pictus)
Hollyhock (as Alcea rosea)
Hardy Hibiscus
Rose of Sharon
Evening Primrose Family
Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)
California fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)
Fuchsias (Fuchsia spp.)

Morning Glories
Ipomoea spp.
esp. Cypress Vine
Red Morning Glory
Scarlet Creeper
Bush Morning Glory
Acanthus Family
Desert Honeysuckle
Flame Acanthus
Chuparosa (Justicia californica)
Mexican Honeysuckle (J. spicigera)
Shrimp Plant (J. brandegeana)

* Courtesy of Sheri Williamson, Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory;
author of Attracting and Feeding Hummingbirds (T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, NJ, $7.95) and The Peterson Field Guide to Hummingbirds.

"Flowers are the natural way to attract hummingbirds to your yard. However, for many people a flower garden is not an option: no space for a garden; no time to tend it; and perhaps no skill or interest in the garden approach. If you are one of these people, then man-made feeders filled with a mixture of water and ordinary table sugar (sucrose) are an important alternative. Even for those with gardens, feeders provide a supplement to flowers that increases the likelihood of attracting hummingbirds.

Sugar, whether from a flower or a feeder, is essential for a hummingbird's diet. It provides the quick fuel for flight that it needs during waking hours; it is not "junk food." Human metabolism is not comparable to hummingbird metabolism! Hummingbirds rely on insects and tiny spiders to provide protein for their diet, since neither flowers not sugar-water mixtures will provide it.

Tests have shown that hummingbirds prefer sucrose in flower nectar over other sugars such as fructose and glucose, so your feeder, with the proper ratio of ingredients, becomes a good approximation to the flowers hummers like best.

FORMULA: 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. The water should not be distilled. The sugar should be white table sugar, not turbinado sugar, brown sugar, or other forms. Use no artificial colors (red dye does NOT help attract hummingbirds) or other additives. NEVER use honey or artificial sweeteners, for to do so may kill the birds.

PREPARATION: The ingredients can be mixed using cold water. Experience has shown that mixtures do not go bad as quickly if the water is boiled, and the sugar added to it. Do not continue to boil the mixture, as it will turn to syrup. Unused portions of a mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

FEEDER DESIGN: The most important consideration in choosing a feeder is your ability and personal willingness to keep it clean, because feeders vary widely in their ease of cleaning. Feeders with parts that cannot be easily cleaned should be avoided. Some designs can be disassembled and washed in a dishwasher, a convenience but not a necessity. Most all designs work, but some "vacuum" designs cause a dripping problem which will inevitably attract ants. Perches on the feeder are optional, but should be removable if being used when temperatures are at or below freezing. Feeders also vary widely in their attractiveness, from the beautiful to the ugly; be sure you want to look at the design every day!

FEEDER MAINTENANCE: Any mixture of sugar and water will ferment and host the growth of mold spores. This limits the usefulness of the mixture, and it must be discarded regularly to avoid these problems. In moderate temperatures, such as 60-85 degrees F. (15-30 degrees C.) a mixture should last about 3 days; less at higher temperatures, slightly longer at cooler temperatures. Regardless of the mixture's age, discard it immediately if you see cloudiness or you see mold growing in the feeder. Always clean a feeder thoroughly before refilling; do not "top off" a feeder which is low in mixture. Clean with warm water and detergent, and rinse very thoroughly. Use only as much mixture as is being used between refillings to reduce waste. Every few weeks, rinse the cleaned feeder with dilute (1:10) unscented bleach, then rinse VERY thoroughly.

You can also substitute white vinegar for bleach, without diluting."(AND THEN RINSE VERY THOROUGHLY)
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VERY IMPORTANT: FEEDERS MUST BE CLEANED REGULARLY TO PREVENT MOLDS & BACTERIAS WHICH COULD SICKEN AND/OR KILL THE HUMMINGBIRDS!!!!
IN VERY HOT WEATHER, DAILY CLEANINGS WOULD BE PREFERABLE, BUT AT LEAST SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK!
IN COLDER WEATHER, CLEAN AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK .

from: http://www.rubythroat.org/QuestionsInjured01.html

"Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) may fly into stationary objects and moving vehicles. Sometimes this kills them outright and sometimes it causes injuries that lead to the bird's death within a few days. Occasionally the hummer merely is stunned and can be rejuvenated. Follow these steps:

-- Approach the bird slowly and sit down on the porch or ground close to the bird.
-- Reach down toward the bird with both hands; sometimes this is enough to startle the bird into flight.
-- If the bird doesn't move, gently cup both hands around it and lift it up so you can examine it more closely.
-- Stay seated so if the bird falls from your hand it isn't injured further.
-- If you see no sign of injury such as blood or a drooped wing or a broken bill, gently hold the bird as illustrated in the photo below and insert its bill into the port in a hummingbird feeder.
-- Gently slide the bill in and out of the feeder several times; you will be able to tell if the bird decides to drink because its throat and crown feathers will move back and forth rapidly; you may also see the tongue moving in and out of the tip of the bill.
-- If the bird drinks, the sugar water may be enough to stimulate it or bring it out of its stunned condition; if it does drink, place it in the palm of your hand and it may fly off.
-- If the bird won't drink, don't force it.

-- If the bird still will not fly, put a soft cloth in the bottom of a shoe box or similar container with loose-fitting lid that will be dark when closed and place the hummingbird on the cloth.
-- Close the box and call your local wildlife rehabilitator for further instructions; a list of rehabilitators in the United States, Canada, and some other countries is at: www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm. If you have difficulty finding a rehabber, call your local veterinarian, keeping in mind that many vets are not trained to deal with birds, wild or otherwise.
-- You can also contact Operation RubyThroat via QUESTIONS. However, an injured hummingbird probably needs immediate attention and because we sometimes are away from Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History you may not receive an e-mail response for a day or two.
-- Hummingbirds need to eat frequently, so if your injured bird is taking food it should be fed several times each hour; this is a heavy responsibility for a caretaker.
-- Sugar water is insufficient as a long-term diet for hummingbirds; the mix only provides carbohydrates and they need fats and proteins that normally come from tiny insects. You can try crushing up fruit flies (they're those little flies that buzz around ripe bananas) and adding them to the sugar water, but it is better to purchase Nektar-Plus, a water-soluble balanced hummingbird formula, from a local veterinarian who specializes in bird care. You can order this product from Avian Specialties in Florida, but because of shipping time it may arrive too late to be of use to your injured hummingbird.

-- NOTE #1: Remember that it is against federal, state, or provincial laws in the United States, Canada, and some other countries to keep a hummingbird in captivity without special permits.

-- NOTE #2: It may seem dispassionate, but remember that not all hummingbirds survive; up to three-quarters of a given year's fledglings are likely to die due to predators, disease, accident, migrational difficulties, or other problems. It is unfortunate when a hummingbird dies due to humans--as when a bird flies into a picture window or the family cat kills a hummer--so we should do our best to minimize human-induced mortality. Nonetheless, hummingbirds are extremely difficult to rehabilitate and it may be that a bird you try to help simply will not make it.
--NOTE #3: If the hummingbird you rescued was injured or killed by your cat, then YOU are to blame. Although cats make wonderful indoor pets, they have no business roaming outside where they follow their natural instincts in killing almost anything that moves. If you really love animals--including your cat--keep all felines indoors for their own well-being AND for the safety of wildlife in your neighborhood.
--NOTE #4: If your injured hummingbird dies, consider improving your local habitat by planting some hummingbird flowers in its honor. You can also make a gift in support of hummingbird research..."