SCIENCE FACTS: We have a theory that we've never put to the test, exactly, but we're pretty sure that five minutes spent online would support what we're about to put forth. Which is this: When people post interesting and unusual factoids about animals in a social media setting, chances are aaaaabout 70% that the animal in question will be a giraffe or a hummingbird. Have you seen differently? We are a lover of both beasties, but we do wish the gnu or the echidna had a similar star showing. But the nice upside is, of course, that we're fairly familiar with both animals, and definitely hummingbirds, which we likely all see in our yards or neighborhood from time to time. (Seeing a giraffe in our yards is likely a less common occurrence, but we don't want to assume you never do.) But that's one reason we need to sign off and take a break from all of the social media-located factoids: Hummingbirds are a part of our day-to-day, and getting to know them offline, and even attract them, is a nice thing indeed. Hummingbird Days at UC Santa Cruz can help out with that.
MARCH 2 and 3: The Arboretum is devoting a Saturday and Sunday to tours, kids' activities, and a plant sale (the leafy items are, as you might expect, ideal for attracting hummingbirds). There are tours earlier in the morning, too, that do fill up.
BEATS PER SECOND: So, how many hummingbird facts do you know off the top of your head? You've heard they're territorial, yes? That their wings can beat over 20 times per second? See, you do know quite a bit. The small bird will likely always live large on the "fascinates humanity" front.
