About the Ruby-throated Hummingbird Drawing
The first hummingbird I ever saw was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at my grandparents’ home when I was about four years old. I initially thought the tiny creature hovering nearby was an enormous wasp and was scared of it, but my grandfather stopped me and explained what it was. That early encounter introduced me to one of the most remarkable groups of birds.
I have loved hummingbirds ever since. One of my favorite ways to spend time is sitting on the porch and watching them move among flowers or feeders. Despite their delicate appearance and minute size, they can be remarkably assertive, chasing one another through the yard as each bird attempts to control a favored feeding territory.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are the only hummingbirds that regularly breed throughout most of eastern North America. They feed while hovering, using their long bills and tongues to reach nectar, but they also capture small insects and spiders. Most migrate south in autumn to spend the winter in Mexico and Central America, an extraordinary journey for a bird weighing only a few grams. Females build the tiny camouflaged nests and care for the young without assistance from the males.
In Just a Sip, I portrayed a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird hovering beside a flower with her wings fully extended. The pose emphasizes the precision and control that allow hummingbirds to remain suspended in the air while feeding. I also included the common name and scientific name in the composition, echoing the illustrated plates created by eighteenth- and nineteenth-century naturalists and wildlife artists.
Just a Sip is a graphite wildlife drawing of a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) by Michael E. Dorcas for Tantilla Art.