Newspaper Page Text
September 21, 2022
iRgporter
Page 5C
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
Little hummers face threats from predators
W hen we watch
ruby-throated
humming
birds visiting
our flowers and feeders
throughout the spring and
summer, it is easy to imagine
that these tiny flying jewels
live idyllic lives. The truth of
the matter is they face many
perils-while they are here
during the nest
ing season, on
migration and
in their winter
homes.
Predators
pose a very real
threat. How
ever, since we
rarely see an
animal catching
and devouring a
hummingbird,
it is easy to be
lieve it doesn’t
occur. After
watching hummingbirds
for decades, for the first
time, my wife Donna and I
recently saw a snake dining
on a hummingbird.
At this time of the year,
one of the first things we
do each morning is watch
the hummingbirds visit
ing our feeders and flow
ers. A couple of weeks ago
when we stepped out into
the humid morning air, I
spotted a dark object on the
back of one of the feeders.
My first impression was that
it was a bat. However, when
I walked up to the feeder
I saw that it instead was a
TERRY W. JOHNSON
young rat snake. In fact, it
was so small (roughly three
feet long), that it did not tilt
the feeder.
Once I realized that a rat
snake had paid a visit to
one of our hummingbird
feeders I called out to my
wife to grab a camera, come,
and see what I was looking
at. After she joined me, we
inched closer to
the snake trying
to find just the
right spot to
record the event.
Finally, when
the snake moved
its head away
from the perch
that encircled
the feeding
ports around
the feeder we
realized that it
was holding a
hummingbird in
its gaping mouth. In fact, all
we could see of the hum
mingbird was its green back,
one wing, and its legs. In
just 10 minutes or so, the
bird disappeared completely.
Wow! That was some
thing to see. As soon as the
snake finished swallowing
the hummingbird, I carried
it and the feeder to the far
reaches of my spacious yard
and released it.
In actuality, there are a
number of animals that prey
on hummingbirds. Surpris
ingly, snakes do not top the
list of hummingbird preda
tors. Many hummingbird
This picture captures a moment in the world of nature rarely seen by humans as a young
rat snake swallows a ruby throated hummingbird it snatched from a hummingbird feeder.
(Photo/Terry Johnson)
experts rank cats as the main
hummingbird predator in
the United States.
If that comes as a sur
prise, you might raise your
eyebrows a little higher
to learn that the Chinese
mantis holds down second
place. This exotic species
was accidentally released in
Pennsylvania in 1896. Since
then its spread has been
assisted by the escape or
release of mantises sold as
pets. This behemoth of the
mantis world can measure
up to five inches long.
Large dragonflies have
long been suspected to be
hummingbird predators. A
few years ago, it was verified
that a species of dragon
fly known as the green
darner is a hummingbird
predator. This critter was
photographed dining on a
hummingbird on a picnic
table in Texas.
Robber flies are among the
most voracious predators
that inhabit our backyards.
Most of these insects are
too small to attack a hum
mingbird. However, larger
species are said to be capable
of capturing and eating a
hummer.
Hummingbirds some
times become entangled
in spider webs, particu
larly those fashioned by orb-
weavers. The spread of the
alien Joro spider throughout
North Georgia has raised
the concern that humming
birds will become entrapped
by the large spiders’ sticky
webs.
The only fish that is
considered a potential hum
mingbird predator is the
largemouth bass. On rare
occasions, hummingbirds
have even been found in the
stomachs of this popular
game fish. (I wonder if a lure
imitating a hummingbird
has ever been marketed.)
Lizards are not considered
to be a threat to humming
birds in Georgia backyards.
However, such is not the
case outside of the United
States. In some countries
both lizards and snakes pose
serious threats to humming
birds.
About a year ago, home-
owners in Mexico emailed
me that a large lizard named
the Mexican spiny-tailed
iguana regularly feeds on the
hummingbirds visiting the
feeder in their yard.
Large frogs will catch
hummingbirds. Here in
Georgia file only two frogs
that are large enough to eat
a hummingbird are green
frogs and bullfrogs.
A number of birds are
known to feed on hum
mingbirds. Small hawks,
such as the northern kestrel,
sharp-shinned hawk and
Cooper’s hawk, are the spe
cies that are most likely to
catch a hummingbird.
Some of the more unusual
avian predators include
owls, grackles, blue jays,
herons, tanagers, shrikes,
and even gulls.
If that is not enough, the
venom in bee and wasp
stings can kill humming
birds. However, as you
might imagine, they cannot
eat hummers.
Predation is going on in
our yards 24 hours of the
day. It is an integral part
of nature. However, most
goes on out of sight. When
you think about it, even
hummingbirds are preda
tors—they eat tiny spiders
and small insects. Focusing
on this fact makes it easier to
deal with actually watching
a snake swallowing a hum
mingbird.
Terry Johnson is retired Pro
gram Manager of the Georgia
Nongame-Endangered Wildlife
Program. He has written the
informative column Monroe
Outdoors for the Reporter for
many years. His book, “A Jour
ney to Discovery’ is available
at The Reporter. Email him
at tjwoodduck@bellsouth.net.
Mercer shuts out Citadel to improve to 2-1
MACON - The Mer
cer defense shut out The
Citadel Bulldogs and Fred
Payton connected with Ty
James for two third-
quarter touchdown passes,
leading Mercer to a 17-0
victory over The Citadel
in the Southern Confer
ence opener for the Bears
Saturday night at Five Star
Stadium.
The Bears (2-1,1-0 So-
Con) limited the Bulldogs
(1-2,1-1 SoCon) to just
151 yards, and earned the
program’s first shutout
since blanking Point, 69-0,
on Sept. 2,2021.
Mercer QB Fred Payton
threw two TDs to lead the
Bears to victory.
Isaac Dowling equaled
his career high with 17
tackles (6 solo) in the win.
MP flag football
tryouts are Sept. 26
Mary Persons flag football tryouts will be Sept. 26 at 3:30
at the MP soccer field at Banks Stephens Middle School.
If anyone has questions please email head coach Kenny
Miller at kenny.miller@mcschools.org. Any high school girl
interested is encouraged to try out.
The sophomore linebacker
tallied 2.5 tackles for loss,
including a sack.
Savio Frazier also set a
career best with 10 stops,
including 1.5 behind the
line of scrimmage and one
sack. Ken Standley netted
seven tackles, including
three for loss, a pair of
sacks and a forced fumble.
Payton and James fu
eled the Mercer offense
to the tune of 371 total
yards. Payton was 16 of 24
passing for 224 yards and
two touchdowns.
James caught a season-
high seven passes for 138
yards and two scores. The
Conyers native eclipsed the
century mark in receiving
yards for the second time
in three games this season.
Austin Douglas led the
rushing attack with 81
yards on 11 totes, averaging
7.4 yards per carry.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After a scoreless first
half, Payton led a five-play,
75-yard scoring drive to
open the third quarter that
culminated with a 9-yard
scoring toss to James.
Two drives later, Payton
and James teamed up
again for a 63-yard touch
down pass putting Mercer
(2-1,1-0 SoCon) up by two
scores.
Devin Folser kicked a
23-yard field goal with 2:41
left in the game to cap the
scoring for the Bears. The
Citadel tied together an
18-play, 70-yard drive at
the end of the first half but
came up empty for points
as Jay Smith’s 36-yard field
goal attempt sailed wide
right of the upright.
UP NEXT:
Mercer will return to the
road next weekend with
a non-conference tilt at
Gardner-Webb. Kickoff is
slated for 6 p.m. at Span
gler Stadium in Boiling
Springs, North Carolina.
16 East Johnson St.
Forsyth, GA 31029
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(478) 742-7966
rick.owens@countryfinancial.com
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To advertise your business,
call Seth Berkebile at 478-718-8302,
or e-mail her at ads@mymcr.net.
Troy
lands
big boy
Troy Davis of Forsyth
shot a 250-pound black
bear with a bow in White
County on Saturday around
7:30. Davis said he used
his compound bow at 22
yards and tracked the deer
maybe 60 yards. He said
it’s the first bear that he s
shot. Davis graduated from
Mary Persons in May.
Notice of Closing of Waiting List
for ALL Bedrooms
NOTICE OF CLOSING OF THE WAITING LIST
FOR ALL BEDROOMS AT
BRENTWOOD PLACE APARTMENTS
PUBLIC NOTICE
Effective Monday, October 3, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
Brentwood Place Apartments
32 Brentwood Place • Forsyth, GA31029
1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, and 3 bedrooms
No applications will be accepted for the bedroom sizes as noted above.
Public Notice will be provided when we re-open the Waiting List
for the specific bedroom sizes.
The Waiting List is routinely closed when the anticipated time for certain
sized units exceeds 12 months. The current wait is over 24 months.
TDD# 1-800-255-0056
EQUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY