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hummer rescued from spider web
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: hummer rescued from spider web
- From: Ginger Travis <gtravis@email.unc.edu>
- Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 09:59:16 -0400
- Delivered-to: pardo@metalab.unc.edu
- Organization: UNC-CH
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
This morning I rescued a hummingbird from a spider web in my yard.
As I was walking to the car I found a hummer in front of my face doing
what appeared to be those territorial loop-de-loops. Only these were
really little loops. When I focused I saw that the bird was actually
entangled in spider silk somewhere aft of its wings and was whirring its
wings and bouncing like a bungee jumper. It took me a minute or two to
persuade my dog to stay on the deck away from the bird. When I got back
back to the hummer, its wings had become entangled, and it hung head
down, wings outspread, and not moving. Helpless and pitiful. The little
creature was making a small-sounding continuous cry instead of the usual
feisty chatter.
I took a stick and waved it above the bird to part the spider silk. Then
I reached out my hand and gently wrapped it around the bird. I pulled
the silk off the hummer and was surprised by its strength. My guess is
that several strands of silk stuck together to act like a cable. Then I
opened my hand, there was a pause, and the bird zoomed away.
Since my house and the woods are absolutely webbed at this time of year,
I wonder how many of the late-lingering hummers get trapped and eaten by
big spiders. Yes, it's nature, but my heart is with the birds.
Ginger Travis
Orange Co., NC