NASHVILLE, TN — Warner Park Nature Center (WPNC) is hosting an in-person Hummingbird Celebration on Saturday, August 27 from 9 am to 3 pm. The event is free and open to visitors of all ages. It provides a rare opportunity to glimpse the inner life of nature’s smallest feathered creatures, the hummingbirds. Did you know that these fantastic birds live literally in the fast lane? Some species of the hummingbird family can produce a wingbeat rate of 200 beats per second and measure a heartbeat rate of 1,200 per minute. That’s 20 per second! And we are proud to say that our ornithologists at WPNC have been devotedly studying and observing the hummingbirds in Middle Tennessee for over two decades.
During the event on August 27, patrons will have the chance to see hummingbird banding demonstrations, live hummingbird observation stations, bingo and scavenger hunts, face painting, arts and crafts, and tips on attracting hummingbirds. Our partners from Friends of Warner Parks, the Bellevue Public Library, Davidson County Master Gardeners, and the University School of Nashville will staff and lead various activity stations. Visitors will be able to purchase hummingbird feeders and hummingbird-related merchandise from the Wood Trush Shop. Food trucks will offer snacks and beverages.
At 11:00 a.m., guest presenters Amy and Carl Wilms and Dr. Lina Rifai will lead the interactive program “The Wonders of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird” and share personal experiences and anecdotes from their extensive research on the lifecycle of hummingbirds. Amy Wilms is a Master Bander of songbirds, Saw-whet Owls, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (RTHUs). She has been banding RTHUs for nearly a decade, most frequently on the front porch of her former home, the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary, owned and operated by the Indiana Audubon Society near Connersville, IN. Amy has banded over 6000 RTHUs and is always happy to share what she has learned about their behavior and individual traits.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the only species of hummingbirds that nest east of the Mississippi River and have the most extensive breeding range of any North American hummingbird. They can be found in Middle Tennessee from March through October; however, August and September provide the best opportunity to see the hummingbirds at feeders. It is the beginning of their migration to Central America for the winter via Tennessee. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are among the tiniest birds in the world, weighing just 1/8 ounce, about the same as a penny. Adult males are smaller than females and have a red throat. On average, the boys weigh only 3.0 grams; the girls are slightly bigger at 3.5 grams. Juvenile birds look similar to adult females with emerald-green backs and white-tipped tails.
Established in 1973, Warner Park Nature Center is located in Nashville’s largest park and located at 7311 Highway 100 in Nashville A leading environmental education facility, WPNC is free and open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 9 am to 4 pm.
For more information, please visit http://wpnc.nashville.gov, email wpnc@nashville.gov, or call 615-862-8555.
