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1 " I love mockingbirds, but I cannot rehab them because they imprint, or bond, or whatever you choose to call it. Young ravens and crows are worse. In their quest for attention and affection, they are akin to domestic dogs. And when you placate young wild animals with a tender human touch, it changes them forever. So rehabbers have to reject the overtures of creatures who attempt to bond, to ensure they retain their wild nature. Some people are good at this. I am not. I have too much of what John Keats called negative capability as well as a close corollary, empathy. When birds arrive at my door lost, broken, and terrified, the distinctions between us fall away, and they are no longer wild animals separate from my humanity. Instead, I am right there with them, sharing their troubles, fear, and pain. I see myself in them and want to protect, love, and reassure them. "
― Terry Masear , Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood
2 " The fledgling has a bleached white breast, a regal demeanor, and an otherworldly elegance, as if she dropped straight from some pure celestial realm into my lap. If "
3 " Rufous Hummingbirds that do not elect to make the easy stop in Southern California migrate north up the coast before nesting in forests from the Sierra and Rocky Mountains to south-central Alaska. Rufous remain in their northern habitats only a few months to breed and nest. By August, adult males spearhead the wave back south through the Rocky Mountains and the sky islands, reaching central Mexico in October, where they spend the winter molting their feathers before commencing their long flight north in March. To accomplish these mind-boggling journeys, hummingbirds rely on the wisdom of their genetic history and the information stored in tiny brains the size of silver cupcake beads. Envisioning these near-weightless fliers braving the formidable obstacles posed by wind, fire, rain and snow to adjust to the seasons of the earth is nothing short of awe-inspiring. "
4 " When going about their daily rituals of feeding and sparring, hummingbirds can fly backwards, sideways, and upside down. Because they love fast-moving food, this diversity of motion is necessary for catching fruit flies that have perfected their own quick-escape strategies. Equally important, hummingbirds' aerial gymnastics are crucial for them to be able to feed on flowers swaying unpredictably in the wind. "
5 " A rule of thumb is (change your hummingbird feeder water) every three days in the summer in LA because the sun and heat make them go bad fast. If the sugar water gets a milky haze, it means the feeder is slimy inside and the sugar water has gone sour. And if you see black spots on the glass that's fungus and then the feeder becomes a deathtrap. "
