Maryland Butterflies is a photographic reference guide to aid you on your search of the various butterfly species. Also included are species sighting information, observations, and key identification indicators.

Birds need water to survive. Even though birds do not have sweat glands they still lose water in their droppings and through their skin due to evaporation, especially during the hot days of summer. Keeping their feathers clean and in good condition is a priority and bathing helps them achieve that.

There are several ways to provide water to help keep backyard birds clean and hydrated. A bird bath or planter drainage tray; a small garden pond; a bird waterer which typically hangs from a hook like a feeder but dispenses water; a bird mister; or a moving water feature such as a fountain or wiggler – birds are attracted to moving water.

Keeping the water clean is very important, not just for the birds but for everyone. Bird bath water can get dirty fast and stagnant water makes for a great mosquito breeding ground. 

Claudia West, Birds & Butterflies Committee Chair, gave an informative talk at our February meeting, The Mightiest Midgets – Hummingbirds. A few hummingbird facts are listed below.

• The name hummingbird comes from the humming noise their wings make. Their wings can beat up to 200 times a second.
• There are over 330 species of hummingbirds in North and South America.
• Hummingbirds can be as small as two inches and weigh slightly less than a nickel.
• Their tiny legs are only used for perching – they can't walk or hop.
• While resting, the average hummingbird takes 150 breaths per minute.
• They are the only birds that can fly backward. Their wings move in a figure-eight pattern, which allows them to maneuver with ease. 
• They can fly as fast as 30 mph and up to 60 mph when they are diving.
• Their heart rate is over 1,200 beats per minute – ours is only 60 to 100.
• Hummingbirds are the smallest migrating birds. They are solitary migrants and typically travel up to 500 miles at a time.
• Although hummingbirds are small, they are very territorial and will try to protect their food source – both flowers and feeders. They spend a lot of time chasing other birds away.
• Hummingbirds have long tongues that function as a tiny pump to suck the sought-after sweet liquid from feeders and flowers. They can consume up to double their body weight in a day.
• When flowers are hard to find, hummingbirds eat tree sap and small insects.
• It takes five to seven days for a hummingbird to build its nest, made of lichen, moss, and spiderwebs. Their nests are about the size of a half-dollar coin.
• Female hummingbirds only lay two eggs in their nests – the eggs are about the size of a garden pea. 

For additional information on hummingbirds that are commonly seen in our backyards, click the button below.