Hummingbird Study

February 27, 2020

We are fascinated with hummingbirds. In the Pacific Northwest, we are treated to the lively activity of the Anna’s Hummingbird. We have a feeder on our porch and when we have it out, our local residents put on a quite a show.

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Hummingbird food:

Dissolve 1 part sugar into 4 parts boiling water.
Cool completely and add to clean reservoirs.
Be sure to swap out hummingbird food every few days.
More tips from Audubon.org.

There is no need for red food coloring.

We found this hummingbird feeder at our local Fred Meyers. You can also find them online pretty easily.

This is one on Amazon that is like the one pictured above.

Usually within the first hour of the feeder being up, we spot a hummer.

Anna’s Hummingbird at my in-law’s house.

Want to learn more about hummingbirds? Explore this collection of resources from PBS LearningMedia.

MAKE

Paper Bag Puppets: Make adorable Anna’s Hummingbird puppets using paper bags, construction paper, feathers, and googly eyes. Encourage students to personalize their puppets and put on a backyard “hummingbird show.”

Recycled Bird Feeders: Upcycle plastic bottles or milk cartons into colorful hummingbird feeders. Decorate them with paint, yarn, and stickers. Discuss responsible bird feeding practices and how to keep the feeders clean.

Salt Dough Ornaments: Create hummingbird ornaments using a simple salt dough recipe. Children can decorate them with paint, glitter, and beads. These ornaments can be hung on a tree or gifted to loved ones.

Origami Hummingbirds: Fold origami hummingbirds using colorful paper. This activity helps develop spatial reasoning and dexterity. Listeners can challenge themselves to create different flying poses or even design their own origami birds. Amazon has a big pack of origami paper. We bought a box like this and we’re still using it after a year.

LEARN

Here are some fun learning activities to celebrate and do a deeper dive about hummingbirds:

Hummingbird Scavenger Hunt: Hide mini paper hummingbirds around your backyard or home with clues related to hummingbird facts. This encourages exploration and reinforces learning.
Hummingbird Song Challenge: Challenge kids to record and share their attempts at mimicking a hummingbird’s buzzing sound. Discuss the unique characteristics of hummingbird vocalizations.
Hummingbird Habitat Design: Have students design their ideal hummingbird habitat using natural materials like branches, leaves, and flowers. Discuss the importance of providing food, water, and shelter for these tiny birds.
Life Cycle Story: Create a collaborative story about the life cycle of an Anna’s Hummingbird. Each participant can contribute a sentence or phrase, building on the previous one. This fosters creativity and teamwork.
Hummingbird Math: Design simple math problems related to hummingbirds, such as calculating the number of flowers they visit in a day or measuring their wingspan. This makes learning math fun and engaging.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see a hummingbird in slow motion? Watch this clip from BBC Earth Unplugged.