Our Baby Hummingbird is Released!

Two weeks ago, Mr. Yollis discovered a baby hummingbird stranded in the dirt in the backyard. The tiny bird was covered with ants. The little hummer was helpless and the nest could not be found.

Mr. Yollis cleaned the bird up, placed him in a warm box, and fed him sugar water through a dropper every two hours.

Mr. Yollis went back out into the yard and got a twig for Birdy. Hummingbirds like to perch.

With a nice temporary home, complete with viewing areas and a perch, Birdy started to grow stronger each day.

*     *     *     *     *

Below is a video of Birdy's home. He flaps his wings, but is more than a week from being able to fly. 

Over time, Birdy grew and strengthened his wings.


Mrs. Yollis ground up a few fish flakes and added the powder to the sugar water. The fish flakes provided the bird with protein.

Usually the mother provides protein to a baby in the form of regurgitated bugs.

Mrs. Yollis went with the crushed-up fish flakes idea instead...  :-)


*     *     *     *     *

After two weeks, Birdy learned to fly. He would drink through a dropper while sitting on his perch.

Next, Mrs. Yollis moved the dropper up.

Birdy learned to fly AND drink at the same time.

Go, Birdy, Go!

Mr. and Mrs. Yollis have learned a lot about hummingbirds.

For example, they learned that hummingbirds go into a torpor every evening. A torpor is a mild hibernation. The body temperature drops, the metabolism slows down, and the feathers fluff up to hold in body heat. A torpor helps the bird withstand the night with no food.

Mrs. Yollis found out what a torpor was one evening. 

She went down to give Birdy a final feeding for the night. He was so puffy, she thought Birdy was dead! Notice how round he is!

*     *     *     *     *


Finally, Birdy could fly and was ready to be released.

The night before Birdy was released, Mr. Yollis put his box up in the tree where Birdy's mother probably still lived.

Birdy woke up to life in the tree!

Once Birdy was released, he flew to the hummingbird feeder. The feeder was larger than he was used to and he had difficulty drinking from it.  We hoped he could learn from the other hummingbirds, but many of them scared him away.

Mr. and Mrs. Yollis felt so sad for Birdy and feared that he would not be able to survive on his own.



*     *     *     *     *


After two hours of flying around the yard without food, Birdy settled on a perch. He was tired and hungry.


He sat and chirped for food. 


He chirped, and chirped, and chirped. 

SUDDENLY, down swooped another hummingbird! The hummingbird flew around Birdy and was forcing him to the ground. Mr. and Mrs. Yollis thought that Birdy was in trouble. Then they realized that this new hummingbird was feeding Birdy!

It was Birdy's MOTHER! 
She recognized the cry and came to feed her baby.

For the last two days, Birdy has been learning about flying and feeding from his mother!

Now Birdy is on his own! What a happy ending!

Mr. Yollis,  Mrs. Yollis, Birdy, and his mother are very happy!

 *     *     *     *     *

Do you know any facts about hummingbirds?

Please share!