Bethpage State Park Ecology

Both quick and foraging on the same flower - can you identify a  Ruby-throated Hummingbird (left) and a Snowberry Clearwing (right)? Hummingbirds are a Common Favorite! Tiny and fast, finding these iridescent creatures in your garden is always a treat! If granted with the opportunity to watch the wonder of these birds at work, you'll most likely find them feeding on a variety of flowers. If so, I recommend trying not to blink--in a flash, they might be gone!  This of course makes hummingbirds not just efficient fliers, but outrageous pollinators!  Beating their wings up to 50 TIMES PER SECOND enables these magnificent birds to make a thousand or more floral visits a day! This also means that hummingbirds can drink up to double their weight in nectar! Incredible, right? Just imagine how much pollen they transfer throughout their daily feeding process (and even in their lifetime)!  Here at Bethpage State Park, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have visited all our favorite locations! From