Michigan

in the Great Lakes

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Did you know that only the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird has a ruby-red throat known as a gorget? The female has more of a whitish-gray colored throat but otherwise looks similar to the male with a green back and long bill which is used to garner nectar from flowers and procure insects to eat.

The scientific name for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is Archilochus colubris.

Click here to see more about Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and hear what they sound like.

Nesting and Migration

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird nests in both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan and is the most commonly sighted type of hummingbird in the state. This tiny bird, which is usually only about three inches long with a three to four inch wingspan, flies south in the fall from its summer spots in eastern North America to spend the winter in Mexico and Central America and returns again in the spring.

Feeding Behavior

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird often hovers near flowers to feed while beating its wings many times per second which allows it to stay in the air and even fly backwards. It will also visit hummingbird feeders.