Background

Pollinators and many of the plants that they pollinate have co-evolved over millions of years. A mutually beneficial relationship exists between flowering plants and animal pollinators. Plants evolve characteristics that attract pollinators such as flower shape, flower color, shape of style, nectar guides, and nectar concentrations and birds evolve bills and tongues that are the appropriate size and shape to feed from specific plants. Some animals even evolve visual traits that allow them to see nectar guides on plants that are not visible to the human eye. This relationship is a fragile relationship which forms the foundation for much of life on earth and provides food for a tremendous variety of living things including humans.

Hummingbird feeding behavior is actually quite complex and many variables potentially affect their foraging behavior and food choices. Hummingbirds have very high energy requirements and derive their energy from the consumption of both insect and nectar. In nature it is all about energy and the birds have to balance their energy requirements with availability of food and the expenditure of energy necessary to obtain the food. This study will look for relationships between bird feeding behavior and nectar concentration. The data that we gather will allow for many different types of investigations. Some potential research topics are:

1. Do Ruby Throated hummingbirds have a preference of nectar concentration? 2. Does temperature affect concentration preferences of Ruby Throated hummingbirds? For example might the temperature of the solution affect the viscosity and therefore the effort required to obtain the nectar? Might warmer nectar affect the metabolic processes within the birds. 3. Does time of day affect concentration preferences of Ruby Throated hummingbirds? 4. Does gender affect concentration preferences of Ruby Throated hummingbirds? 5. Does time of year affect nectar concentration preferences of Ruby Throated hummingbirds? For example do they prefer higher concentrations of sucrose prior to migration? 6. Does proximity to perches affect food choices of Ruby Throated hummingbirds?