North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>]

The book "Trees, Shrubs and Vines for Attracting Birds", Second Edition 
Revised, by Richard M. DeGraaf (University Press of New England, 2002; 
first edition University of Massachusetts Press, 1979) lists the 
Ruby-throated hummingbird as feeding on the nectar of

apples and crabapples,
yellow-poplar/tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis}
honeysuckles (Lonicera species)
coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus)
blueberries
trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans)

(The first edition of this book was subtitled (A manual for the northeast)

Presumably if they feed on the nectar, they may pollinate the flowers.

I note that Jerry Lehman says that hummingbirds arrive in his area too 
late to pollinate apple flowers.

I speculate that hummingbirds may arrive in an area early enough to 
pollinate the woody plants listed above when those plants are very 
common. or when there are sufficient other early sources such as 
wildflowers to interest them (e.g. aquilegia species), also where there 
are trees attractive to sapsuckers, as I understand that often 
hummingbirds raid the sap holes drilled by sapsuckers until flowers are 
out. DeGraaf also lists trees attractive to yellow-bellied sapsuckers.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada



On 31/12/2010 12:43 AM, Steven Covacci wrote:
> Do hummingbirds, typically, pollinate these Rosaceae pomes:
>
> Apple, hawthorn, serviceberry/Juneberry, cherry, and/or plum
> (non-ornamental Prunus spp.)?
>
> I've seen very few photos of this; I wonder if they try to extract
> nectar but then just end up moving on? I figured this would be the best
> place to find out - since many here have orchards with plenty of these
> in it and would therefore know.
>
> Thanks,
> Steve
>
> New Jersey
> USDA zone 6b/7a