Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Popular and common variants / subspecies / other names: Ruby-throated hummingbird, bumblebee hummingbird, Anna’s hummingbird, rufous hummingbird
Geographic distribution: You’ll find hummingbirds from southern Canada all the way down through the United States, Central and South America. Most Canadian and northern United States hummingbirds migrate south for the winter and some species in Central America may migrate southward as well. Species in warmer tropical areas tend to be year-round residents.
Environment: Hummingbirds are found in meadows, fields, and gardens.
Physical description: Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds in the world, ranging from 3 to 5 inches in length and weighing only a fraction of an ounce. The beak is long and thin.
Interesting facts: Hummingbirds are seemingly miraculous birds; they are the only birds who can fly backward and hover in place for extended periods of time. Conversely, although they can perch they cannot walk or hop as most other birds do.
Hummingbirds have a reputation for ferocity, and will fight one another. They also demonstrate their bravery by flying 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico when migrating. They are also among the fastest birds in the world, able to reach speeds up to 34 mph (54 km/h).
Hummingbirds have the highest metabolic rate of almost any warm-blooded creature, and must eat almost constantly to fuel their basic functions.
The bumblebee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world, at approximately 2.5 inches long.
Myths, folklore, and cultural associations: The English name “hummingbird” comes from the hum created by the rapid speed at which the bird’s wings flap. John James Audubon called hummingbirds “glittering fragments of rainbows,” and they have also been called flying jewels. The sheer beauty of the hummingbird is inspirational.
Urban legend tells of hummingbirds hitching migratory rides on the backs of larger birds such as geese, for it was believed that something so tiny could not possibly fly so far on its own.
A Mayan legend tells that the Creator, after making all the other birds, had a pile of small colorful scraps left over, and fashioned a tiny bird out of them. Being made of leftovers is hardly a handicap, however. The Aztecs honored the hummingbird as a symbol of vitality and energy. The Aztec hummingbird god Huitzilopochitli was associated with war and the sun, and the Aztecs believed that warriors would be reincarnated as hummingbirds. Dead hummingbirds were carried as talismans for good fortune in war, or to enhance a warrior’s battle skill.
In Central America, the hummingbird is seen as a symbol of sexual energy and, by extension, a symbol of love and attraction. In the American Southwest, the hummingbird was associated with bringing rain and much-needed water. The form of the hummingbird was sometimes used as a decoration on water jars, and the hummingbird is a part of ceremonial rain dances in both the Hopi and Zuni tribes, symbolized by a dancer dressed as a hummingbird who dances to summon rain for the crops.
Trinidad and Tobago calls itself “the land of the hummingbird.” The hummingbird is featured on the country’s coat of arms and the penny; it is also the mascot of Caribbean Airlines.
Omens and divinatory meaning: If you see a hummingbird, chances are good that the message is somehow connected with vitality. The hummingbird may be telling you to watch your energy and not squander it. Although a hummingbird has plenty of vitality, it is carefully apportioned for survival. The hummingbird does not have time or energy to play; he is focused on his basic needs.
What are your basic needs? Are you dividing your energy and attention among too many things, as enjoyable as they may be? Take stock of your commitments and your extracurricular activities, and prioritize them. Make sure to prioritize those things that encourage relaxation and renewal, as well as work- and family-related responsibilities.
In addition to warning you to watch how you spend your energy, the hummingbird reminds you to take joy in the simple things, to literally slow down and smell the flowers. Bury your nose in a branch of a flowering shrub, or walk among the paths of a public garden to refresh yourself. You need to feed your emotional and spiritual selves as well as your physical being. The hummingbird, with its love of bright, sweet things and its colorful, iridescent plumage, gently scolds you to nourish that side of yourself as well, and to embrace joy.
The frequency with which the hummingbird must eat also reminds you to take plenty of small breaks to restore and maintain your energy. Ignoring your basic needs is self-destructive in the long run.
The hummingbird’s message can be summed up as urging you to live life to the fullest within your means; don’t hold back. Give it your all, but remember to relax and sip the sweetness along the way. Make sure to balance all your commitments in order to best apportion your energy.
Associated energies: Joy, energy, energy management, sweetness, vitality
Associated season: Summer
Element association: Air
Color associations: Green, red, white