Hummingbird 

“Hummingbird stay for a fractional sharp sweetness, and’s gone, can’t take more than that.” – Denise Levertov

 Spotting a hummingbird is always exciting. Seeing that magical floating flash of color is like spotting a fairy. Small as your thumb, quick as a thought, blink and it’s gone. Like most things in nature however, they have two sides and are not always as sweet as they seem.

They have tiny teacup size nests built by the female. In fact, the female does all the work when it comes to homemaking and raising the chicks. The males are very aggressive when it comes to mating. They will go so far as to stab a rival in the throat with their beak.

Hummingbirds as a whole are antisocial.

They don’t get along with other birds or each other. They will occasionally come together to go to war with bees who they also don’t get along with. The fight over territory isn’t surprising given their nature and the fact they are always hours away from starvation. Their metabolism is so high they have to consume more than their body weight in nectar daily. They are able to store just enough energy to survive over night. Then they do it all again.When food is scarce or temperatures are low, they go into a deep sleep state called torpor to conserve their energy. 

They are also quite smart. Their brains are bigger than most birds in relation to their body size. Because of this, they are able to remember appetizing flowers they have seen far away and can travel up to 23 miles per day in search of a meal.This is no problem for them since they can fly around 34 miles per hour. They are also the only bird who can fly backwards as well as upside down allowing them to easily switch directions. But, for all of their zipping around and fighting, they also appreciate stillness.  Hummingbirds will perch on a high branch and meditate, sometimes for and hour.

The message a hummingbird brings is one of fleeting beauty. It’s bright, intelligent, attractive, but not one to hang around. Appreciate it for what it is because it is stunning and always a joy to encounter. Just remember that the hummingbird is concerned with consuming the sweetness in life, then it’s gone.