If you like exotic landscapes, small villages, tropical birds you must go to Bahamas. There are 328 species of birds. The most famous are: white-cheeked Pintail, ruby-throated Hummingbird, rose flamingo. One of the most exotics is a Bahamian parrot.

I want examine Ruby-throated Hummingbird more detail. Ruby-throated Hummingbird male has metallic bronze green back and head. Throat is iridescent ruby red. Chin, malar region, around eyes and auricular are black, and we can see a small white wash behind eyes. Breast is whitish, becoming darker brownish-grey on low breast and belly. Sides and flanks are dusky green. Tail is forked, with dark purplish or black feathers. Undertail coverts are brownish grey, with dull white edges.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird has a long needle-like bill. Eyes are black. Legs and feet are dark grey.

Female is larger than male. She has white throat, and white tips on tail feathers.

Juvenile is similar to adult female. Young male has dusky streaks on throat and few iridescent red feathers.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird utters rapid squeaky chips. These vocalizations are used to defend territory from intruders. Defending male utters a single note, repeated with increasing volume.

To feed, Ruby-throated Hummingbird takes advantage of “sapsucker wells” which attract small insects. It laps up the sap, and catches flies and gnats that congregate there. They also eat nectar flower, and they are attracted to red flowers, contrasting conspicuously against the green foliage. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds eat nectar from a variety of flowers. They may consume twice their body weight each day. They insert their long tongues into the flower to suck the nectar.

To eat nectar, it hovers above the plant and uses its long bill to suck out the nectar. It may catch insects in flight, or pluck them from leaves, and catch spiders from their webs. They are diurnal birds.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are solitary birds. Adults contact occurs only for mating. Male is territorial, chasing intruders, jabbing it with its bill or striking it with its feet.

If weather is cold, during the night, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds may save energy, entering in hypothermic torpor, a state similar to hibernation to conserve energy. To migrate, they double their body mass before departure.

When courtship displays are engaged, male begins by erecting its red throat feathers, and harassing the female. Then, male performs a back-and-forth display flight, and side to side horizontal arcs, over the female. These courtship flights are very spectacular, male flying upward 15 metres or more, and diving down at top of speed, pulling up at the last moment to complete a U-shaped pattern. This type of flight is repeated several times. Male utters vocal chattering while is flying. Sometimes, male and female engage in a mutual up and down flight. >pI think that this small bird is beautiful and exotic. I saw this bird in reality, it’s unforgettable.