Captive Breeding of the Sparkling Violet-ear Hummingbird

There are over 300 species of hummingbirds that occur throughout the Americas, but most species inhabit tropical South America. Belonging to the family Trochilidae of the order Apodifolmes, hummingbirds fascinate us with their jewel-like beauty and their amazing flight ability. Not only can they suspend their bodies in midair and hover, they can fly backward, upward, left, right, and even upside down. Their unique design allows the wings to move in altnost any direction from the shoulder. Soaring is the only flight capability that they do not possess. The humming sound that gave these tiny birds their name is made by rapid wing beats which can nUlnber from 50- 200 beats per second. Hummingbird feet are deSigned only for perching. They must fly even if they want to move a few inches across a branch. They lift off and rise straight upward by flapping their wings at high speed. They fly swiftly and can stop suddenly for a precision landing. Hummingbirds have an average life span of three to six years but the record age is 12 years. Housing the Sparkling Violet-ear Hummingbird Sparkling Violet -ear Hummingbirds Colibri coruscans were released into the Tropical Rain Forest Aviary at Butterfly World in 1997. Foliage is plentiful with nUInerous plants shrubs and trees obtained fron1 the birds' native South American region. At one end of the aviary, misters are positioned around a waterfall with dense foliage, simulating the tropical rain forest hOlTIc of humn1ingbirds. The waterfall feeds into a sn1all pond and hrook that runs through the aviary. The circular aviary is 100 feet across with a height starting at 12 feet and rising to 27 feet at the top of the circular dome. Feeding For their size, humminghirds have an10ng the largest appetites in the bird world, feeding every 10 or 15 minutes from dawn until dusk. Since the aviary at Butterfly World wa ' originally built for the survival of butterflies, there is an -abundance of nectar-producing plants available for the hummingbirds to feed upon. Some of their favorite plants for sipping nectar are Firebush Hamelia patens, Pentas Pentas lanceolata, Porterweed Stachyta rph eta spp., Bubbleia Buddleia davidii, and Firespike Odontonema strictum. Also provided for the over 20 individual birds (within four species) are 43 feeders placed throughout the area. These are changed twice a day and filled with Nektar-Plus, a special nectar manufactured by Nekton. Although the nectar is a complete diet with all the required proteins, carbohydrates and minerals, the hummers also are provided an ample supply of fruit flies (Drosophilia) . Hummingbirds use their long needle- like bills and special tongues to reach nectar in deep tubular flowers. The last half-inch of the long tongue is divided into equal halves, each grooved on the outer edge to form two tube-like structures. Nectar is drawn into the tongue like liquid is drawn up a straw. Hummingbirds can lick up to 13 times per second, and their stomach holds about five grams of mostly nectar and a few insects. Nesting Generally speaking, the hummingbird nest is a walnut-size structure of plant down, lichens, and moss, bound with spider webs or fine plant fiber '. The female lays two eggs that each are less than one-half inch long. After 14- 16 days of incubation and four weeks of growing, young hummingbirds leave the nest. The Sparkling Violet-ears have built many nests since their introduction into the aviary at Butterfly World. They had their first successful fledging in April, 1999. Nesting takes place fron1 midNovember through April. The fen1ale is more aggressive during this period than at any other time. She will defend her teITitory more forcefully than usual and without fear of intruders. The nesting sight is chosen very carefully. The female hummingbird will fly from branch to branch looking for a spot that suits her. Obviously there are a lot of things for her to consider when choosing her nest site. The nest is usually constructed 10 to 15 feet high in a tree that overhangs a body of water. She looks for a site with two or three perching places within close range of the nest to keep a close watch while she is off the nest. It can take up to three days for her to choose a nest site that she likes. Nest building takes from eight to 14 days. Sometimes the female will be close to completing the construction when she decides that she does not like the location. She will then search for another spot and reconstruct the nest very rapidly. The construction material is made up of string, hair, cotton, moss, and any other small fibers she can find. Spider webbing is also a key material in the nest building. She will use this sticky substance to hold the materials of the nest together. Small spiders are constantly placed in the aviary to ensure that webbing is always available.