Male ruby-throated hummingbirds are not born with their stunning red gorgets. (The term gorget is from a piece of armor that protected the neck of medieval soldiers.) This red coloring on the neck is developed over time. The picture on the left could be either a female or a male hummingbird. By the time the male bird is 6 months old he should have a red dot forming. By 1 year the entire neck will be covered and the hummingbird will be ready to mate.

The visually metallic looking neck is not from pigments in the feathers. It is created by tiny, layered platelets in the feathers that reflect light. So, depending on how the light is hitting the bird it may appear bright red, or a slight tip of the head may make the gorget appear black. All the iridescent reds, greens, and purples you see on hummingbirds are created this way. The duller brown and gray feathers are from actual pigments.

Why did nature create such a brilliantly colored male hummingbird? Well, in the bird world if you want a mate, you must stand out. Some birds sing for mates, some do acrobatic flying maneuvers, others like male hummingbirds must sing, fly and look good doing it.

The male will be ready to mate by their first spring after hatching. Hummingbirds don’t mate for life. In fact, after the task, they don’t help build the nest, sit on the eggs, or even help with feeding the chicks. It makes you wonder why? Lots of birds help in chick development, why not the hummingbird?