A hummingbird showed up in a backyard in Westlake on Nov. 23 – not the usual ruby-throated hummingbird, but a species that typically lives west of the Rockies and winters in Mexico. The question quickly became: Was it an immature male Allen’s hummingbird or a rufous hummingbird?
The homeowner put out a warm-water feeder so the bird had something to eat, and birders from Cleveland Metroparks were called to investigate. Soon after, expert bird bander Allen Chartier traveled from Michigan to band the bird and release it, allowing nature to take its course. Chartier holds both a bird banding permit and a special permit for hummingbird banding.
That raised a familiar dilemma: Leave nature alone, or intervene to save the bird’s life? Options could include transporting it south or keeping it indoors at a garden center or atrium for the winter, which would require someone to provide food and water until spring. Generally, the rule of thumb is to leave nature alone – she knows what’s best most of the time…