I began this project for Journey North and the UW-Arboretum with high hopes of finding an important correlation between the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and ecology, seasonality, or phenology. What I found was something altogether different…

Built to Strive and Survive

The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (RTH or “hummer”) is a loner, an opportunist, a do-or-die creature, living every hour of its life on the edge – of life and death. A large part of my project has involved researching these incredible birds that are merely the size of one’s thumb.

In order to understand the migration pattern of RTH, I started by interviewing both scholarly and “in the trenches” experts. This led to further literature reviews, statistical analyses that yielded no correlations, and finally, a short study on the unique biophysics of this truly unique bird and important pollinator.

RTH chicks are immediately abandoned by the father after he mates with the female. The female weaves a nest no larger than a walnut from spider’s web and grass. Then, after the two tic-tac sized eggs hatch, the mother abandons the chicks almost as quickly as the father did.

The RTH lives, feeds, perches, mates and migrates alone, all by pure instinct. Although it has no social structure, RTH is extremely territorial when it comes to food sources, and has an excellent observational and sight memory. RTH is site-selective and will return to its favorite food sources regularly each year, usually to the day! Woe to those who try and take another’s turf.

Territorial Battles

Built to Strive and Thrive

I have spent most of my life living like a hummingbird. Striving each day to survive, consuming as much fructose as possible for quick energy, living each day on the edge of life and death – as an Ironworker.

However, I was not built like the RTH. After 25+ years of striving to survive, I burned out. Through Vocational Rehab, I started my college career. Five years later, and a bachelor’s degree in hand, I entered the EOI program to learn the tools needed to thrive and not just survive in my new chosen profession.

It is now nearing the end of this 15-month accelerated professional master’s program (EOI), and truly I have not faced obstacles so repeatedly at any other time in my life. Certain key aspects of this program, however, have conditioned my responses and honed the effectiveness of my communication, negotiating skills and ability to rebound from unexpected obstacles.

I liken this experience to the difference I have observed in the training of recruits/cadets in the Armed Forces. There is a vast difference in mental fortitude, ingenuity, and approach to problems between a soldier and a highly-skilled special forces operative. As corny as it may sound, this experience has given me the training to handle work and life, while thriving, not just surviving.

Final thoughts

While I am a little way’s off from finishing my deliverables, I am excited to reunite with some of the experts I interviewed, as well as Journey North Citizen Scientists, and friends I’ve met along the way.

I will be presenting some results of my research at the UW-Arboretum in mid-September to celebrate the fall migration of RTH back to Costa Rica.

When I started this program, I knew it would be hard. What I didn’t know was that it would result in letting a little boy (still inside me) get paid to play and explore the world around him.

Below is a short 17 min. video for those of you interested in the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Honestly, there is more info in this 17 minutes than there is in a whole BBC series on Hummers!

A Place in the Garden

Best to all,

Joel