First, from mid-March to October, you may encounter hummingbirds that seem different, but 99.99% of them are Ruby-throats in the Ark-La-Tex.
After flying from Mexico and Central America to set up territories, adult males arrive first and are easily distinguished from adult females by their vivid red throat patches, called gorgets, in direct sunshine.
Same gorgets look black out of direct sunshine. Still the same bird. All females have white necks, therefore spring birds have no immatures.
Most Ruby-throats in our area raise two broods in summer, and when the immatures leave their nests, they appear like adult females and are the same size.
Like the hummingbird five-o'clock shadow, immature males grow a few crimson gorget feathers before leaving in October.
However, you may have three or four different-looking hummers in your yard that are the same species. Other Louisiana summer species are rare. Take photos or videos and email me immediately if you think you have one.
As anyone who has put up a hummingbird feeder knows, they sip nectar. Nectar? Sugary water. You can also grow a hummingbird flower garden with the proper flowers to avoid creating nectar every few days.
Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus drummondii), Cuphea' David Verity' (Cuphea var.), and Salvia species like Red Texas Sage (Salvia coccinea), Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii), and Salvia guaranitica varieties like Black and Blue, Black and Bloom, and Purple and Bloom thrive in our area.
You may not know that hummingbirds consume insects. It makes logical as nectar has no protein. Yes, that tiny needle-like bill unfolds. Hummingbirds use their ridiculously long tongues to lap up nectar, kind of like a dog's tongue laps up water
but their tongues wrap around the bird's skull when drawn in (eww) and split in half like a snake's tongue at the tip when inserted into flowers or feeders, with little, grabby, finger-like protrusions on each fork.