Gorgeous Groomer

Simplicity, good taste and grooming are the three fundamentals of good dressing and these do not cost money.

Christian Dior (1905-1957)


Hummingbird Grooming

Hummingbirds are very clean and will groom themselves quite often. They use their bills and claws to preen themselves. On the back of their body near their tail, they have an oil gland. They use this oil to cover their wings to help keep them clean. In places they have problems reaching, they will rub against a twig to clean themselves and spread the oils. They will also use a twig to clean off any pollen and debris off of the bill. When they do this they use a back and forth motion with their beak rubbing on the branch, like sharpening a knife on a knife sharpener.

Feathers: Some feathers on a hummingbird hold bright radiant color. This coloring comes from iridescent coloring like on a soap bubble or prism and requires sunlight to show these colors off. An average sized hummingbird will have about 940 feathers. This is more feathers per square inch of their body than any other bird in the animal kingdom.

Beak or Bill: The beak or bill on a hummingbird is longer in proportion to their body than other birds. This is so they can reach deep down into a tubular flower to get the nectar. A hummingbird's beak is not hollow. They do not sip nectar up like a straw. The beak or bill has an upper and lower portion, much like any other bird. Both the upper and lower beak is covered in a substance called rhamphotheca. This sheath is made of a keratin like material much like your fingernails. The top of the beak, called the maxilla, overlaps the lower beak slightly. The lower beak is also slightly flexible and can widen and bend lightly downward as the hummingbirds open their mouths. Hummingbirds have a joint in the upper jaw, just behind the maxilla. This joint enables the maxilla to bend back toward the head slightly as the hummingbirds open their mouths. When a hummingbird is less than one year of age, the maxilla is rough with corrugations along the sides and edges. Hummingbirds older than one year of age have smoother sides and edges. A few adult hummingbirds will have some minor corrugations throughout their lifetimes.

World of Hummingbirds

Eye on a chipmunk

Full Ruby


For the Record,
This day came in with drizzle and rain. Cool temps, high humidity.