There's a Hummer in My Garage!

"There is a Hummer in my garage," the email stated. My first thought was,"Well, that’s nice." Personally, I prefer smaller vehicles but that is a nice one, and I would want to tell people about it too. But then the writer added "...and I can’t get it out." Now I’m thinking maybe they don’t know how to drive or their garage is too small and the Hummer is wedged in tight. Either way, I don’t think I can help much. My mind does tend to jump to conclusions ahead of the facts, and I finally realized "oh, hummer, hummingbird, a hummingbird is stuck in their garage." OK, I can help with this one.

First things first. For anyone who has not already done so, go to your garage and look at the little knob or handle on the end of the release cord of your garage door opener. If it is red as most are, paint it black or white. Many times hummers, the little ones that fly, will venture into garages to investigate that little red knob. It looks like a food source to them. Often they have trouble getting out of garages. I know, that big, wide garage door is open and big enough to drive a car through. Why can’t hummers find their way out? Because when birds go to escape, the tendency is to go UP. It’s just the way they work. So they spend all their energy trying to get out through the ceiling and most times end up exhausted on the floor.

If there is a Hummer in your garage, congratulations. If there is a hummingbird in your garage and it is still flying around try this - place a hummingbird feeder in the open door area. I suggest using a piece of coat hanger wire hooked over the bottom edge of the open garage door. This should place the feeder about two feet down from the open door and centered in the opening. When the hummingbird comes to the feeder it will most likely fly outside and not back into the garage.

If the hummingbird is exhausted and lying on the floor, carefully pick it up by gently wrapping your hand around it and place it outside in a small box, preferably in the shade. It will fly away in a short while. If you are afraid to touch the bird you can drape a light piece of material over it and pick up the material and the bird. You may also try to get the bird to feed for a quick energy boost by gently holding it up to the feeder. Do this carefully, and don't force it. Most times if the hummingbird is interested, it will lunge towards the feeder port.

So now you know what to do. But be warned - the next time you are having lunch at the café and you tell your friends that your hummer was stuck in the garage so you put a cloth over it and put it outside and it was gone 30 minutes later, don’t be surprised if you get some really strange looks from the people at nearby tables.