Frenetic tranquility

A week ago, as a friend and I meandered in the woods, we stopped to sit on some boulders near a creek. Although we had been chatting loudly and goofing around, the cathedral-like oaks and soothing song of water subdued our noise.

Still and silent, we soaked in all the place had to offer. To my right was a hummingbird flying in and out of an oak branch over the creek. I wasn't too astounded by this- hummingbirds seem to continually flutter and move- until I saw where it came to rest.

There, sheltered by the leaves of the overhanging limb, was the smallest of nests. No more than 2 inches in diameter or depth, it seemed to be made of the softest materials one could find in the mountains. I would never have seen it had I not watched the hummingbird fly to the exact site; such was the nest's camouflage.

Quietly I pointed this miracle out to my friend, and we watched, astounded, for the next half-hour. Back and forth this hummingbird flew into nearby bushes, collecting spiderwebs and then returning to her nest, where she would mold the cup to fit her body, securing it with the sticky strong spider fibers.

Lulled into serenity

Since that day the hummingbird has been greatly on my mind. I have returned several times to see how she is doing. Hers has become the antithesis of usual hummingbird behavior. Rather than frenetic fast movement, she sits perfectly still, guarding her newly laid offspring.

But beyond concern for her well-being, this hummingbird is constantly in my thoughts regarding dualities. Here is an animal that until the present has represented for me lightning speed, flashing light and frenetic communication. Now I see an alternate side, that of nurturing, homemaking and stillness. I am awed that this little fiery creature which I have always linked with motion has become my teacher of tranquility.

Each day when my mind is spinning with neuroses and transition I go and visit the hummingbird, for when I am there, seduced by her modeling, I am lulled into quiet.

Wanting to better understand my newfound mentor I've begun researching these amazing birds.

Hummingbirds, of the family Trochilidae, are the smallest birds in the world and are only found in the Americas, the greatest diversity in southeastern Arizona. In total there are 320 species and 100 genera.

Identification methods

In the Santa Monica Mountains there are four common species: the black-chinned, Archilochus alexandri; the Anna's, Calypte anna; the Costa's, Calypte costae; and the Allen's, Selasphorus sasin.

Each of these tiny birds can be differentiated with binoculars, sunshine and the help of a birding field guide with good drawings, as the hummingbirds' stunning iridescence is their best identifier. The birds are all similar in size, differing by only a quarter inch.

In the wild, habitat may help with identification, though some overlap; all species will congregate at feeders. Although they gather in yards, these birds are solitary and aggressive, defending their territory fiercely. There are many accounts of hummingbirds attacking hawks, which are much larger, and I have seen them chasing relatively huge ravens from their territory.

Feeding in flight

Knowing that hummingbirds have to feed every 10 to 15 minutes because their metabolism is 100 times faster than a human's, one can better understand the necessity of their ferocity when defending territory. I, too, would be protective of my food source if I had to find and feed 1,000 flower blossoms a day, especially if I only weighed 0.1 to 0.3 ounce.

In order to deal with their tiny size and high metabolism, hummingbirds have amazing specializations to aid in survival. The most notable adaptation is their acrobatic flight. They have evolved a unique figureeight wing motion that allows them to hover as well as fly forward, backward, sideways, up, down and even upside-down. This flexibility in flight allows them to gather hard-to-reach flower nectar while hovering.

Another remarkable adaptation is their tongues, which extend far beyond the tips of their bills. Long tongues reach deeply into the base of flowers to lap up nectar. Tiny grooves in the sides of the tongue allow the nectar to move by capillary action (movement of fluids in small diameter tubes) so that no sucking is necessary. Once the nectar has been taken, the long tongue retreats back into the hyphoid process, a structure made of small bones and muscles that wraps around the back of the skull and is responsible for the tongue's extension.

There are many other phenomenal adaptations that hummingbirds have evolved in order to survive as the smallest birds in the world. Beyond these physical phenomena, the joyful, flexible essence of hummingbirds has also been revered for millennia. No wonder, as daily I look toward this tiny mentor to guide me through the conundrums and dualities of my own survival.

Meghan Walla-Murphy can be reached at the following e-mail: mwallamurphy@yahoo.com.