As I reflect on our 2024 ruby-throated hummingbird season the word that comes to mind is NUMBERS. Each one important, each one a story of its own yet collectively allows us to continue our hummingbird research efficiently and effectively.
So, with that in mind I present a few of SEAR’s 2024 numbers…
- 2100 bands cut and formed in early April and May.
- 24 FANTASTIC volunteers who help to make all this possible!
- 14 WONDERFUL hummer host families who open up their homes and share their birds with us each summer.
- 35 total banding days from July to early September.
- 6 Hummingbird festivals.
- ~4500 smiling and educated festival guests.
- 155 hummingbird adoptions to benefit environmental education.
- 12 hummingbird presentations.
- 1954 newly banded ruby-throated hummingbirds.
- 224 recaptured hummingbirds.
- 2 – 8 years old ruby-throated hummingbirds recaptured. A male originally banded on 7/14/2017 as an adult and a female originally banded on 8/14/2017 as an adult as well. Both born in 2016 or earlier..
- 2 western hummingbird reports in August
- 80 hours of data entry.
- 2300+ miles driven.
- 10-year Anniversary of Southeastern Avian Research. Whoo-hoo!
- 17,903 hummingbirds banded since 2014….
- And, countless hours of new discoveries and learning!
Finally, MANY THANKS to all those who support us, encourage us, assist us, share information about us, travel with us and love hummingbirds as much we do. We couldn’t do what we do without YOU!
Cheers!
Cyndi