Hummingbirds are among the most greatly loved backyard birds, and the most well known, widespread hummingbird in the United States is the ruby-throated hummingbird, the only hummer commonly seen east of the Mississippi River. Despite their popularity, however, there is still much to learn about these flying jewels, and that's where Operation RubyThroat begins.

Organization History

Operation RubyThroat is a non-profit, international, cross-disciplinary project from the Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History.

The project began during the 2001-2002 school year and has always been focused on education and research, with activities designed for all levels from kindergarten through high school and beyond. While the initial year's research only depended on involvement from select schools in South Carolina, North Carolina and New York, it grew rapidly to include all 38 states in the ruby-throated hummingbird's range, as well as schools in Washington, DC. International participation extends from Canada through the Caribbean and into Central America, encompassing all of this hummer's range and habitats.

This unique project, while it focuses solely on one popular bird species, is intended as a pilot program to develop techniques that can be adapted to study other birds and wildlife around the world. Thousands of students of all ages have benefited from participating in Operation RubyThroat, and more students every year are introduced to these phenomenal birds through the ongoing project.

What Operation RubyThroat Does Today

Operation RubyThroat has always been dedicated to education and raising awareness about ruby-throated hummingbirds and how all parts of our natural world are interconnected.

Today, the organization accomplishes that goal in a number of ways, including…

• Cross-Disciplinary Study: Students involved in Operation RubyThroat do more than just study birds. Different activities are offered in a range of subjects, including meteorology (how climate affects hummingbirds), botany (the best flowers for hummingbirds), horticulture (designing a hummingbird garden), environmental science (the ecology of birds and other wildlife), geography (range maps), physics (how hummingbirds fly), computers (analyzing collected data) and other topics, all related to hummingbirds.
   
• Age-Appropriate Activities: A wide range of lessons are available for Operation RubyThroat participants, from preschool puzzles, games and coloring pages to more advanced scientific experiments, research papers or cultural analysis assignments suitable for advanced high school students. Not only are these activities available to teachers and students, but also to nature centers, homeschooling parents or anyone else interested in learning more about hummingbirds.
   
• International Cooperation: Ruby-throated hummingbirds are neotropical migrants, and the organization stresses the international range of these birds with its own international cooperation between different schools and groups in the project. Students and teachers share data across political and geographical borders, learning how all of their actions can impact hummingbirds even in different parts of their extensive range.
   
• Conservation: Raising awareness of ruby-throated hummingbirds and the threats hummingbirds face is at the heart of the operation's mission, and participating schools are encouraged to plant schoolyard habitats to invite hummingbirds to their area and to enhance local habitats so they are more hummingbird-friendly. Participants also study the effects of habitat loss in other parts of the hummingbird's range, and what can be done to preserve that habitat.
   
• Research: The data collected through different Operation RubyThroat projects is available to help wildlife conservationists, researchers and ornithologists learn more about the ruby-throated hummingbird. The research techniques are also able to be adapted to other species of interest.
   
• Online Resource: To share research and educate others about ruby-throated hummingbirds, the operation maintains a detailed website with many informational articles about these hummingbirds, including a hummingbird glossary, photo galleries, range maps, hummingbird trivia, the mythology and culture of hummingbirds and basic information about other hummingbird species in North America.
   
• Expedition Travel: For participants interested in seeing ruby-throated hummingbirds on their wintering grounds, different trips to observe and document the birds throughout Central America are available and include experienced guides and opportunities to help with banding the birds and learning more about them.

Joining the Operation

Though the core of Operation RubyThroat is dedicated to working with public and private school teachers and students, anyone is welcome to participate, including parents, scout groups, nature centers and any individual with an interest in these hummers. Annual registration is $20 for individuals and $30 for larger groups, and registered participants have access to priority website information, additional help answering questions about hummingbirds and the Operation RubyThroat newsletter. Additional donations are also welcome and help support the project.

For more information or to get involved with Operation RubyThroat, visit www.rubythroat.org.

Photo – Ruby-Throated Hummingbird © Jeff B