Sugar Water Saves Hummingbird!

On Wednesday morning as I was opening up the doors to air out the garage I found a hummingbird on the floor. At first I thought he was dead.Then I realized he was alive, his little heart beating very slow, body rising and falling with each beat! I picked him up with my work gloves, and his head lolled like his neck might be broken. His eyes were closed and he seemed so frail. Then he latched on to my glove with his little feet in a death grip! I took him inside the house where it was cooler, put him on the kitchen counter, where he spread his wings, trying to cool himself off. I was grateful that he was alive and his neck was not broken.

I keep a jug of sugar water in my fridge to fill the feeders with. I poured some into a small sauce cup. I then realized that there was no way he could reach the sugar water without help. Since I didn't have an eyedropper, I scanned my kitchen looking for some way to feed him.

Ah ha!

I spotted one of Joan's straws! That would work, I thought! So I dipped the straw in the sugar water, placed my finger over the top of the straw holding the sugar water inside, and lowered it over his little beak. I was rewarded with frantic gulping action on his part! I was thrilled! I did this several times till he pulled his head away, letting me know he needed to rest a bit.

This went on for about 4 hours. I would feed him sugar water, he would rest, and we would do it again. Then he started looking around a lot, eyes wide open. I decided I needed to get him outside before he took flight in the house. Since my cat Gracie was inside, that wouldn't be a good thing!

I picked him up in one hand, set him in the palm of my other hand, he started flapping his wings inside my fist. Out onto the front porch we went. I removed my hand from around him and he sat in my palm for a couple of seconds, then flew straight up into the air!

I felt relieved that I had helped him in some small way.