These tiny creatures have long been revered by different cultures. I've just recently begun my own love affair with them. Historically, in Native cultures, hummingbirds were believed to be healers and symbols of good luck. If one visited you or if you dreamt about one, good things were about to happen.
The hummingbird, which weighs about as much as a marshmallow, has co-evolved with flowers. In harmonious partnership, the hummingbird gets nectar from a flower and then pollinates more flowers, which extends its own life force. For this reason, the hummingbird is viewed as a symbol of health and vitality.
Like dragonflies and owls, the hummingbird has special flying skills. Even in very windy conditions, they can stabilize themselves in midair while feeding, and they're the only bird that can fly backwards. The number of times a hummingbird’s wings beat varies from species to species, but it ranges from 720 to 5400 times per minute when hovering (staggering!). Most can fly at speeds just over 30 miles per hour. When they migrate to the United States in the springtime, they cover 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico, flying for 20 hours without stopping. The Rufous species migrates 4000 miles from Mexico to Alaska each spring. The energy and perseverance of these incredible birds is nothing short of inspiring and, well, mind boggling.
The way these tiny birds flit quickly and vibrantly from flower to flower serves as a good reminder to us slow-pokey humans that it’s possible to live in a joyful state, one that hums with positive vibrations. We can see how important it is to be in the moment. Watching these nectar-loving birds work the blooms on a trumpet vine evokes a sense of joie de vivre. In Chinese culture, this is seen as a sign of resilience and flexibility. The Chinese also viewed “hummers” as symbols of love and joy. On top of all this, they’re seen as brave and heroic underdogs because of their willingness to stand up to opponents several times larger than themselves while defending territory and mating rights.
Hummingbirds are considered messengers that can transfer good thoughts between people and bring good news from both the living and the dead.
The first time I photographed a hummingbird, I was drawn to the challenge of freeze-framing its crazy-fast movements. It didn’t take long to get hypnotized by the magic spell it cast. Obviously, none of these – or my other bird imagery – will ever be found on the pages of a wildlife photography magazine. I try to imbue the photographs with something emotional rather than something representational. Something dreamlike. Something that might evoke a distant memory.
Something that might even bring you, the viewer, a little bit of healing... or joy.
