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Re: Hummingbird Super-stimulus Experiment 2003



I just saw a personal comment from someone about this, and agree that
this is close to a hoax. I did check out the website to see if this is
some cruel hoax, and it seems to be legit! 

As far as I know, hummingbirds migrate at night. If so, they presumably
fly a thousand or more feet above ground and would not see the fake
hummingbird feeder because of distance or darkness. The website mentions
that hummingbirds migrate by day at treetop height. That is news to me.

If anyone else has information about hummingbird migration (day versus
night, etc.), could you please enlighten us?

Harry LeGrand

BILL HILTON JR The Piedmont Naturalist wrote:
> 
> As a new Internet-based activity in 2003, "Operation RubyThroat: The
> Hummingbird Project" (see http://www.rubythroat.org ) is encouraging
> individuals and teacher/student groups in the U.S. and Canada to
> participate in "Hummingbird Super-stimulus Experiment 2003."
> 
> The experiment is an attempt to use a giant "fake" hummingbird feeder
> to get the attention of spring migrant Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
> (Archilochus colubris) as they fly overhead. The idea for the
> experiment originally came from Gary Springer.
> 
> Guidelines for how to participate in "Hummingbird Super-stimulus
> Experiment 2003" are at http://www.rubythroat.org/FakeFeeder2003.html
> . We think this will be a fun way to get folks of all ages to learn
> more about migration dates and general hummingbird behavior. Results
> will be submitted via the Internet and posted on the Operation
> RubyThroat Web site.
> 
> Please feel free to forward this message to friends--especially K-12
> teachers--who may be interested in participating. For those in the
> southern U.S., it's about time to implement; New Englanders and
> Canadians have a little more time.
> 
> Happy Hummingbird Watching,
> 
> BILL
> --
> 
> BILL HILTON JR., Executive Director
> Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
> 1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA
> hilton@hiltonpond.org, (803) 684-5852, eFax: (503) 218-0845
> 
> The mission of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is "to
> conserve plants, animals, habitats, and other natural components of
> the Piedmont Region of the eastern United States through observation,
> scientific study, and education for students of all ages." Please
> visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net) at
> http://www.hiltonpond.org and  http://www.rubythroat.org ("Operation
> RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project").
> 
> "Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to
> watch the sunset."                                      BHjr.

-- 
Harry LeGrand
NC Natural Heritage Program
DENR   Office of Conservation and Community Affairs
1615 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615
(919) 715-8687 (work)
FAX: 919-715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand@ncmail.net