Male Anna's Hummingbird in -20C
Ten to fifteen years ago people noticed the Anna’s Hummingbirds staying here, above the 49th parallel, year-round. All the other hummingbird species head south for winter. Although the Pacific Northwest coastal winters are milder than continental winters this new development surprised us. On Christmas Day, these little creatures showed us how tough they really are. It is currently -20C (windchill) with wind gusts to 70 km/h. The Anna’s visit our feeders in daylight hours and at night go into torpor, a state in which they lower their metabolism and heart rate to save energy. This photo is taken from the comfort and warmth of my living room. The beauty, toughness and resilience of these birds is truly astounding.
Male Anna's Hummingbird in -20C
Ten to fifteen years ago people noticed the Anna’s Hummingbirds staying here, above the 49th parallel, year-round. All the other hummingbird species head south for winter. Although the Pacific Northwest coastal winters are milder than continental winters this new development surprised us. On Christmas Day, these little creatures showed us how tough they really are. It is currently -20C (windchill) with wind gusts to 70 km/h. The Anna’s visit our feeders in daylight hours and at night go into torpor, a state in which they lower their metabolism and heart rate to save energy. This photo is taken from the comfort and warmth of my living room. The beauty, toughness and resilience of these birds is truly astounding.