Rescued Hummingbird Released Today

21 years ago

For the last week and a half, I've had the privelege of helping with The Bird Center of Washtenaw County(Michigan). They have been helping an orphaned hummer who had been trapped in a garage. Unfortunately, the mother was found dead.

He was kept in an enclosure that was the size of a laundry basket at first, then moved to a larger one the size of a playpen. He was fed a nectar-plus mixture through a 3cc syringe. There was another 3cc syninge with water there also.

In addition, cut flowers, potted plants, and fruit flies were provided. At first the youngster had trouble feeding from the flowers, he kept trying the wrong end. By the second day he looked like a pro. Fruit flies and aphids from the plants were eaten with gusto.

He had to hover to feed, especially the last week. Flying, hovering, landing, perching, feeding from many types of flowers, and feeding on small insects were skills mastered successfully. He looked in excellent health.

Here are a couple of pictures.

I'll miss him, but I'm glad he's free.

Bruce

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Comments (8)

bobky
21 years ago
Congratulations Bruce! Great Job :)
king_cupheaphea
21 years ago
That's so awesome! Glad to hear the little guy made it, you'll have to keep an eye out for him if you live nearby. He'll be the one that stops and tilts his head at you when he zooms in to say hello.

It's amazing how much of their instinct is hardwired into their DNA and how quickly they learn to apply it.
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standard65
21 years ago
fantastic! what a happy story and an informative account, thanks. send him my way, and I'll feed him on his way south.
flowerpowereverett
21 years ago
Good Job and thanks for sharing the story. I am glad there was a happy ending.
cookiesdoc
21 years ago
Thanks for that great story and pictures. Do you know what happened? How did the mother die and how did he get trapped in a garage? Thanks!
zerb21
Original Author
21 years ago
The write-up at the Bird Center listed the person who found him, the location which was in Willis near Milan, that he was found chirping in a garage, and the mother was found dead. There wasn't any information on how he got trapped in the garage or the cause of death of the mother.

I became involved with helping with him after a trip to Wild Birds Unlimited in Ann Arbor. My wife wanted to ask their advice for attracting chickadees and cardinals and I went with her. We chatted with the owner and bought some things before heading off to lunch. Upon arriving home, our son told us that Wild Birds Unlimited had called. We called them back, and were referred to the Bird Center. The Bird Center had called Wild Birds Unlimited just after we had left to check for possible release sites, etc.

He was released in the country outside of Chelsea where there is good habitat for hummers.

Bruce
sarahbn
21 years ago
Sounds like quite an experience! Sarah
jardines1
21 years ago
What a great story!! I LOVE happy endings!! You might be interested in the book by Arnette Heidcamp, "Hummingbirds, My Tiny Treasures"..where she rehabbs a ruby throat and it snowballs from there to many more feathered rescues. The stories are priceless.

Congratulations!!