Found Hummingbird on Patio

On my way out the door to go to the mall, I saw this little hummer on the floor fluttering around. I went to pick it up but it scooted around a flower pot and I had my daughter get it. We brought it inside and my DD examined it and there were no injuries. We put it in a box with soft cloths and attempted to feed sugar water with a syringe but it would not eat. Therefore, we took it to the mall with us because we were not going to be there long and we could try feeding it again within an hour. It was not until we got home, that it would eat. It's appetite was good because it took 1.6 mls of sugar water. We both felt so good because we knew it would have a full stomach for the night. We will check on it in the morning and try to set it free. I believe that when the storm blew in with all the rain that being an adolescent, it might have hit something or maybe it is just learning how to fly. I always wondered how they felt. You can feel that little heart beating fast and when they are at rest it slows way down and they are so soft. We did place a lid over the box to keep it safe. If it were to get loose in the house, it would be very possible for it to injure itself. So far, it has only fluttered its wings a little.

Aren't they just beautiful? We've had them get into the greenhouses and I have to get them out. Hope he does good thru the night.

geez, how sweet! the lady at the nursery told me they get trapped in the greenhouse sometimes, and they have taken them out to the pine trees and after a while they fly on their way. a little boy, do you think it's on its way to south america? mine leave around the first of october, i think the boys are already gone, not sure.

I think they are Arlene, all I see here now are girls.

Oh so pretty so little bird hummer so cute and I am so glad for you take care of it to feed and hope he will be ok . Thank you for sharing with us.

I usually have some hummers in January, even when it is cold outside. Just got finished feeding this little one again and I am so happy that he is eating well. When I went to put him down, he crawled and snuggled back up in my hand. Just had to hold him a few minutes more before I put him down for the night.

how sweet frannie, a friend for life, he'll be back to spend summers with you forever, if he leaves. are your winter hummers ruby throats or another kind?

That is so neat, him snuggling in your hand! Thank goodness he's eating! He sure is beautiful.

The hummer is an adult ruby. I hate to tell you this, but I
feel certain that he has injured one of his wings, other wise he would try to fly. I am new to DG, but will be posting more as I learn what to do. Currently I have about
1 - 2 hundred rubys in my yard daily. I have 28 feeders out and several 1,000 plants for the hummers. I have had 5 different species in my yard in the past, ruby, allen, annas, blackchin, rufous. If he has injured a wing, I am sorry to say, it will lead to a slow death for him. They can not survive very long on just sugar water. There is a special food formula, expensive, but even feeding them this,
the end result is usally the same, "Sorry".

Just wanted to let all of you know that he did not have an injured wing. I kept him in a closed box last night because I did not want him to get out and possibly hurt itself. This morning, I carefully opened the box a little and got him out. When they are resting, their heart rate slows way down and it takes a few seconds for them to get it back up. I could tell after picking it up that it was much better because it chirped and moved around a little in my hand. It took the sugar water out of the syringe and after it had all that it wanted, I took it outside and placed it on a very low branch (about 6 inches from the ground)and it chirped and within 3 seconds it flew off. I was so happy that it was OK and it was a great way to start my day! Within a minute, it was back and it stayed very close to me in the air before flying around again.

oh that's wonderful news!!!! how exciting:) love happy endings

I am really glad that he was not injured. I will be posting pictures and other news about hummers and plants.
I have a number of salvias and sages that I will be sharing in the future.

frannie, i swear you'll have a friend for life! hummernut, i can't even imagine!!! 28 feeders!

I can't imagine having to fill that many!!!! but after the success of this year, I will surely buy a few more feeders. saw a hummingbird out the window trying to climb up into a brug flower!

How wonderful is this!!! Mother nature at work again!!

"eyes"

tig, i think if we get small enough flowers they will, like they apparently do the sanguineas.

Hooray! So glad to hear he's okay. I was worried after hummer nuts post. How glad you must have been to see him fly away!
Welcome to DG hummer nut! Salvias and sages are one of the very top plants on my favorite plants list. I don't have lots yet but I'm working on it! I take it the hummers like them too? LOL

BrugNanny: What a sweet little fellow! I've never held one before...what a treat, and all for a good cause. Just love those hummers!

Hi, Hummer_nut! We have rufous and annas here (Southcentral Alaska) earlier in the summer. They have all left now. They arrive shortly after last frost in the spring (late May, early June), and leave in mid to late August. We have feeders and surely enjoy them every summer.

Brug, I am so envious of your bonding with the little guy. I love the pictures, the second one looks like he has adoration in his eyes looking at you.. As Arlene has said, you will have a friend for life in him.

I do feel so happy today. It was such a special experience and I may never experience it again. When I went to put him back in his box last night after feeding him, he crawled back up into my hand and snuggled in the crevice of it. My daughter saw the look on my face . . and she laughed and said . . you are not going to sit up all night and hold that bird - - are you? It was really tempting but I put him back to bed.

I only have 4 feeders and usually no more than 7 or 8 around at one time. Hummer_Nut . . I cannot imagine 100 at one time WOW!! What a sight that must be. I have 4 feeders and it takes time to wash and bleach the feeders every 3-4 days and to fill them back up. I guess if my hummer population increased, I would also increase my feeders. While they really like the flowers in the garden they also enjoy the feeders. I also need to add more plants to my garden that they like. Thanks to all of you for participating in such a special event.
I miss him!! :( but I am so happy he is ok :)

BrugNanny, Tig, Floridian, Weezingreen, all, yes, it takes time to clean and fill the feeders. From early August to early Sept. I spend an average of 1 hour daily cleaning and filling feeders. Currently the hummers are consumming about a gallon of sugar water a day. Next year in the spring and continuing for the rest of the yr, I will provide more info on hummers. If I am lucky and have a wintering hummer this yr, I will post some pictures. Anyone
feeding hummers now, especially in the southeast, may I suggest that you leave up at least one feeder you can watch. If you have a hummer after Nov. 10th, it will probably not be a ruby and I would like to know. If you live where it freezes often I can tell you how to protect both your feeder and wintering hummer. I do enjoy reading all your posts about plants and will be joining in later. Working full time, feeding the birds, taking care of lawn and plants, and trying to golf every now and then, plus trying to keep up with my 9 yr old and 3 month old grandaughters keeps me rather busy. I have just gotten into growing brugs, will look to you all for help. I am not a professional gardner, my gardening motto is "If God wants it to grow in my yard, it will".

What a wonderful ending to a great story. That's a cute little friend you have.

hummer nut, great to have you here. I can't wait to learn more. and I'll have brug cuttings for postage just before frost here.

Hummer nut . . please take photos. I just can't imagine so many little hummers at one time. I guess they are passing thru your area Aug-Sept. I have them all year except for the month of February. That is our coldest month. It is very nice to have you here at DG's and I will also have brug cuttings to share with you.

hummernut, that's kind of how i feel about my garden, if it's supposed to be there... i've been working on the hummer/butterfly thing, will take me a long time though.

would love to see your pics.

that is totaly unreal! Those are being entered in "Birds&Blooms " and national geographic! thanks for sharing. You should be getting top honors all over the world with those photos! WOW!

Frannie, what a sweet story! I have just started to have feeders the past month, and I am in awe of these little birds.
Hummer nut, WELCOME! We can all get you started with lots of brugs as we will be cutting back in Nov. and will be glad to send you some.
I have five feeders and about a dozen hummers. They are just everywhere, and I noticed that although they do try to knock each other off the feeder, they are not so agressive as the first week I put one feeder up. Only three, but they fought so bad I didn't know I would like them, but they seem to be easier to get along with now. I worried at first that I had put too much sugar in the feeders they were so agressive. Now, three or four will sit and eat at a feeder at a time. My favorite is the litttle hummer who has claimed a certain feeder as just hers, and hides in the leaves and watches, and runs off anybody who tries to take her spot. So much I have to learn about these little birds.