Sweet Tooth - Hummingbirds Migration
Posted by Carollee Grindel on November 6, 2006
Q: Unbelievably I overheard someone at a dinner party telling a group that hummingbirds make it across large spans of water, like the Gulf of Mexico, by flying while "carrying a stick with their feet - when they're tired they land on the water and float on the stick."
I am brand new to this group of educators and, after recovering from the shock of the statement, could not find a way to tactfully correct this superior and thought it best to let it go.
I hope you can add this one to your myth busting page!
Thanks!
Carollee
State: Alabama
A: Well, it's a very romantic notion but definitely false. In the past, it was assumed that hummingbirds couldn't fly across the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan so they must be "riding on the backs of other birds that do". Of course, this is not true either.
Hummingbirds do NOT carry sticks in flight but simply fly nonstop across the Gulf to the Yucatan. Hope this helps. Probably best that you didn't say anything although now all of those guest have the wrong impression about hummingbirds. Oh well, next time you can quote me. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( November 6, 2006)