They can produce 700 wing beats in 10 seconds and lay eggs somewhere between the size of a Tic Tac and a jellybean B次元官网网址� impressive when momB次元官网网址檚 entire body is roughly nine centimetres long.

TheyB次元官网网址檙e hummingbirds, and theyB次元官网网址檒l be celebrated Feb. 26 from noon to 3 p.m. at during the nature sanctuaryB次元官网网址檚 annual Hummingbird Day event.

B次元官网网址淧eople are fascinated by them because theyB次元官网网址檙e like little tiny jewels,B次元官网网址� said Ren茅e Cenerini, naturalist at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary.

B次元官网网址淭hey can commonly be seen around Victoria, but because theyB次元官网网址檙e so fast and so little, theyB次元官网网址檙e kind of mysterious.B次元官网网址�

Unlike their counterparts the Rufous , which migrate south in the winter, the AnnaB次元官网网址檚 remain in the region solely because of available bird feeders.

B次元官网网址淭he fact that theyB次元官网网址檙e here is entirely human-related,B次元官网网址� said Cenerini, who recommends people use a four-to-one ratio of water to sugar, without dyes or honey, to sustain the tiny animals.

Without the human help, the birds would migrate to Baja California in the winter.

B次元官网网址淭he AnnaB次元官网网址檚 stay here because they know how good theyB次元官网网址檝e got it.B次元官网网址�

Learn to distinguish between the two species during Hummingbird Day. The family friendly event includes crafts, stories, songs and games devoted to all things hummingbird. Dried bird specimens and nests will also be on display.

nnorth@saanichnews.com