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The Hummingbirds' Gift #1
Das Geschenk des Kolibris
Nicht nur Bienen gilt es zu retten, auch den zauberhaftesten aller Vö den Kolibri. Sie sind als Baby klein wie ein Stecknadelkopf, brauchen ständig Nektar oder Fruchtfliegen. Doch einmal groß, stechen sie jede Rakete aus und können sich als einzige Vögel sogar rückwärts fortbewegen. Kolibris wurden schon immer als Wunderwesen verehrt, und doch sind diese zarten Geschöpfe in der heutigen Umgebung in Gefahr. Sie zu retten ist eine hohe Kunst.
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First published May 4, 2021
252 people are currently reading
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About the author
Sy Montgomery
63 books2,056 followersPart Indiana Jones, part Emily Dickinson, as the Boston Globe describes her, Sy Montgomery is an author, naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and radio commentator who has traveled to some of the worlds most remote wildernesses for her work. She has worked in a pit crawling with 18,000 snakes in Manitoba, been hunted by a tiger in India, swum with pink dolphins in the Amazon, and been undressed by an orangutan in Borneo. She is the author of 13 award-winning books, including her national best-selling memoir, The Good Good Pig. Montgomery lives in Hancock, New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 508 reviews
June 26, 2021
June 22, 2021:
Today I was able to go inside my library for the first time since March 11, 2020. This is one of the books I was able to take off the shelf with my own hands for the first time in over fifteen months.
I will always remember with fond gratitude the measures the library employees took to keep us supplied with reading material. They provided curbside text-and-go pick-up as well as home delivery. (I know! Swoon! Can you believe it?) And they lengthened the loan period to 42 days. They also added a huge trove of e-books and audio books to their online resources right after the pandemic struck.
Those "I Love Our Library" yard signs now mean more than they ever did before. We are blessed.
Read
September 19, 2021Twenty minutes, every twenty minutes, scheduled and so important that Brenda Sherburn LaBelle set a timer to feed Maya and Zuni. Originally these twin Hummingbirds were not given names as their survival was not certain. They came to Barbara through WildCare, nearly dead.
”They were not moving or responding” Brenda said.
The challenge to save these two began. Only when there was a chance this brother brother and sister, born two days apart, might make it, were they named.
Have you ever sat and watched a hummingbird? In my neck of the US we are blessed with only one species of these beautiful birds, the Ruby-throated; just this one of approximately 240 (as quoted from this book but other sources claim 330 types) all in the Western Hemisphere. Would you have the patience, twenty minutes, to watch one this long, let alone feed one for days, starting early morning until nighttime to keep them alive?
If you have ever been mesmerized by the behavior of this jewel of a bird this is a story not to be missed. I thought I knew a lot about hummers but I learned so much in this less than 100 page gem. From its dedication "To mothers everywhere, who understand" to its last page it was not only delightful but also an insightful read as told by Sy Montgomery.
” Hummingbird rehabilitators are unsung heroes.”
An added note. Where did I find this book? Browsing the shelves of my local public library. Thank you to our librarians and staff.
”They were not moving or responding” Brenda said.
The challenge to save these two began. Only when there was a chance this brother brother and sister, born two days apart, might make it, were they named.
Have you ever sat and watched a hummingbird? In my neck of the US we are blessed with only one species of these beautiful birds, the Ruby-throated; just this one of approximately 240 (as quoted from this book but other sources claim 330 types) all in the Western Hemisphere. Would you have the patience, twenty minutes, to watch one this long, let alone feed one for days, starting early morning until nighttime to keep them alive?
If you have ever been mesmerized by the behavior of this jewel of a bird this is a story not to be missed. I thought I knew a lot about hummers but I learned so much in this less than 100 page gem. From its dedication "To mothers everywhere, who understand" to its last page it was not only delightful but also an insightful read as told by Sy Montgomery.
” Hummingbird rehabilitators are unsung heroes.”
An added note. Where did I find this book? Browsing the shelves of my local public library. Thank you to our librarians and staff.
March 21, 2025
"Hummingbirds embody so many opposites that their very existence seems a miracle. They are the lightest birds in the sky - and also, for their size, the fastest [a top speed of 61 mph]. These tiny, fragile birds undertake perilous, long-distance migrations . . . And because of - not in spite of - their delicacy, hummingbirds can execute acrobatics that no other bird can approach. Alone among the world's ten thousand avian species, only those in the hummingbird family can hover in midair." - - on page 9
After being charmed (and educated) by Ms Montgomery's What the Chicken Knows last week, it spurred me to check out her other animalistic offerings. The Hummingbirds' Gift is of similar quality, detailing the author assisting a new friend in Northern California who specializes in the intricate work of rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned hummingbirds. Amidst the information dispersed (it was news to me that they, like woodpeckers, have forked tongues) are the avian stars of the story, brothers who are given the monikers of Maya and Zuni. The duo are carefully nursed back to good health, but while Maya soon soars to freedom Zuni experiences difficulty in adapting to outdoor life. Chalk this up as another non-fic novella that tells a fascinating and informative little story.
After being charmed (and educated) by Ms Montgomery's What the Chicken Knows last week, it spurred me to check out her other animalistic offerings. The Hummingbirds' Gift is of similar quality, detailing the author assisting a new friend in Northern California who specializes in the intricate work of rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned hummingbirds. Amidst the information dispersed (it was news to me that they, like woodpeckers, have forked tongues) are the avian stars of the story, brothers who are given the monikers of Maya and Zuni. The duo are carefully nursed back to good health, but while Maya soon soars to freedom Zuni experiences difficulty in adapting to outdoor life. Chalk this up as another non-fic novella that tells a fascinating and informative little story.
November 9, 2025
A disruption of our routines is typically unwelcome. Yet, that is what we've been coping with lately, from the over year-long confusion created by Covid-19 to the abnormal extremes of weather. Disruption has become the new norm. Coping with a succession of crises make this slender book by tireless nature writer Sy Montgomery a timely balm. Her writing is lyrical. At the same time, she reveals astonishing scientific observations that provoke a sense of wonder many of us have not felt since childhood, when each day offered unexpected discoveries and questions. Disruption, she reminds us, can result in rich emotional connections. This is the story of the disruption and close bonding that occurred between a hummingbird rehabilitator and the author, and two hummingbirds only days old who came into their lives.
This book chronicles her stay with Brenda Sherburn La Belle in 2010. Brenda is fostering a pair of newborn hummingbirds brought to the WildCare animal shelter in San Rafael, California. Montgomery recalls, “I was fearful at first that my touch alone would break them. Everything about a hummingbird is diaphanous. Their delicate bones are exceptionally porous. Their legs are thinner than toothpicks; their feet as flimsy as embroidery thread.” (p.2)
The birds must be fed round-the-clock, every 20 minutes. (I thought fostering kittens was tough. They need feeding every 2 hours!) A tiny catheter replaces the needle in a syringe and the droplets of food – a mix of crushed fruit flies and nectar – placed in the eagerly awaiting beak. Brenda gently blows a puff of air toward the bird, simulating the movement of air created by the mother's wings before landing. It will be weeks of feeding before the birds can even be encouraged to acclimate to a larger shelter, and finally set out, still protected, in her garden.
There, cornflowers, penstemon and columbines are humming with bees and hummingbirds of various types. “Hummingbirds are less flesh than fairies. They are little more than bubbles fringed with irridescent feathers – air wrapped in light.” (p.17) To achieve that miracle, they need to feed almost constantly and are aggressive guardians of individual patches of the garden. It will be weeks and weeks before Brenda's babies will be confident and skillful enough to be released into this space, both eden and battlefield.
Montgomery's book includes color photos of Brenda's babies as well as a variety of hummingbird species. She notes that the birds, which had been named Maya and Zuni once their survival seemed likely, would not develop the colors typical of Allen's Hummingbirds until next spring. Until then, they remain an undistinguished brown.
The hardback edition of this book is beautifully constructed with wide margins and photos reproduced on glossy stock. It is appropriate for both adults and children. I am reading this because it has been selected as our local library's “community read” of the month and the author will be speaking via Zoom.
NOTES
Indian Paintbrush, Fuchsias and Salvia (Autumn Sage) are mentioned in Brenda's hummingbird filled garden, all adapted to the southwest: https://www.thespruce.com/plants-for-...
Brenda's studio and garden in northeastern California: https://yampapath.com/
The Nov. 4, 2025 episode of Chris Morgan's podcast, "The Wild" follows Morgan into Arizona desert country where hummingbird scientists track the habitats of several hummingbird species: "Tiny but Tough, the Hummingbirds of the Arizona Desert," KUOW. https://www.kuow.org/podcasts/thewild
This book chronicles her stay with Brenda Sherburn La Belle in 2010. Brenda is fostering a pair of newborn hummingbirds brought to the WildCare animal shelter in San Rafael, California. Montgomery recalls, “I was fearful at first that my touch alone would break them. Everything about a hummingbird is diaphanous. Their delicate bones are exceptionally porous. Their legs are thinner than toothpicks; their feet as flimsy as embroidery thread.” (p.2)
The birds must be fed round-the-clock, every 20 minutes. (I thought fostering kittens was tough. They need feeding every 2 hours!) A tiny catheter replaces the needle in a syringe and the droplets of food – a mix of crushed fruit flies and nectar – placed in the eagerly awaiting beak. Brenda gently blows a puff of air toward the bird, simulating the movement of air created by the mother's wings before landing. It will be weeks of feeding before the birds can even be encouraged to acclimate to a larger shelter, and finally set out, still protected, in her garden.
There, cornflowers, penstemon and columbines are humming with bees and hummingbirds of various types. “Hummingbirds are less flesh than fairies. They are little more than bubbles fringed with irridescent feathers – air wrapped in light.” (p.17) To achieve that miracle, they need to feed almost constantly and are aggressive guardians of individual patches of the garden. It will be weeks and weeks before Brenda's babies will be confident and skillful enough to be released into this space, both eden and battlefield.
Montgomery's book includes color photos of Brenda's babies as well as a variety of hummingbird species. She notes that the birds, which had been named Maya and Zuni once their survival seemed likely, would not develop the colors typical of Allen's Hummingbirds until next spring. Until then, they remain an undistinguished brown.
The hardback edition of this book is beautifully constructed with wide margins and photos reproduced on glossy stock. It is appropriate for both adults and children. I am reading this because it has been selected as our local library's “community read” of the month and the author will be speaking via Zoom.
NOTES
Indian Paintbrush, Fuchsias and Salvia (Autumn Sage) are mentioned in Brenda's hummingbird filled garden, all adapted to the southwest: https://www.thespruce.com/plants-for-...
Brenda's studio and garden in northeastern California: https://yampapath.com/
The Nov. 4, 2025 episode of Chris Morgan's podcast, "The Wild" follows Morgan into Arizona desert country where hummingbird scientists track the habitats of several hummingbird species: "Tiny but Tough, the Hummingbirds of the Arizona Desert," KUOW. https://www.kuow.org/podcasts/thewild
June 5, 2021
Click here to hear my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive.
This is a heartwarming story in which the author, beloved nature writer Sy Montgomery, headed out to California to help a wildlife rehabilitator care for two orphaned hummingbird babies. It has all of Montgomery's signature prose - it's inviting, it's heartfelt, it's downright lovely. But given this book is basically a jazzed up chapter from a previous book, I think the choice to make this its own book is a blatant cash grab.
This is a heartwarming story in which the author, beloved nature writer Sy Montgomery, headed out to California to help a wildlife rehabilitator care for two orphaned hummingbird babies. It has all of Montgomery's signature prose - it's inviting, it's heartfelt, it's downright lovely. But given this book is basically a jazzed up chapter from a previous book, I think the choice to make this its own book is a blatant cash grab.
May 16, 2021
previously published as a chapter in her 2010 book birdology, sy montgomery's the hummingbirds' gift is a slender work focusing, mostly, on the rehabilitation of a pair of very young hummingbirds. there's a little too much cutesy anthropomorphizing, but montgomery's awe of the little resplendent marvels is endearing nonetheless. for longer-form (and more thorough) writing about hummingbirds, be sure to check out
fastest things on wings: rescuing hummingbirds in hollywood
and/or
the glitter in the green: in search of hummingbirds
.
July 10, 2021
The Hummingbirds' Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings, by Sy Montgomery, is a slim little book that looks at the rehabilitation of two young hummingbirds by a professional rehabilitator, with some interesting tidbits on hummingbirds and their feeding habits, flight patterns, and the biology of their feathers and internal systems. This book was certainly not all-encompassing; it is more a reflection on the fragility of the birds and the amazing rehabilitation work that they require to survive. The book also (whether intentionally or not) puts emphasis on humanity's troubled relationship with the natural environment. These rehabilitators have about a 46% chance to save a hummingbird; most do not make it through the process. Even so, the intentions are pure, but it is sad to this reader that more is not done at an institutional level. True to the American way, this book looks at individuals doing their best and ironically draws attention to the thousands and thousands of others who do not act or care. Although incredibly admirable and inspiring, the actions of a few individuals will not make a difference, and the issues they face may be a slowly dying hummingbird population, which they will literally viscerally experience as rehabilitators. Institutions and organizations that are funded and supported are required, as is a greater push to improve global environmental standards.
That tangent aside, this was a fairly good book, if a little bit on the basic side. It was short, sweet and over in a flash, much like a hummingbird flitting by. An easy read for those looking for books on the environment and nature, this will fascinate many and is certainly worth a read.
That tangent aside, this was a fairly good book, if a little bit on the basic side. It was short, sweet and over in a flash, much like a hummingbird flitting by. An easy read for those looking for books on the environment and nature, this will fascinate many and is certainly worth a read.
June 1, 2021
I have never seen a hummingbird. I had to look up these beautiful beings once I started reading this book. And now I wish I could go to Ecuador to see them hum their incessant rhythm of life. Having read some of Sy Montgomery’s other books, I knew that I was in for a treat. And it was. This is the story of a little miracle - of how two orphaned hummingbirds are slowly let into the wild.
What’s so special about it? Plenty if you consider that baby hummingbirds need to be fed every 20 minutes. Yes. Every 20 minutes. Imagine Sy and Brenda, the caregiver, timing the feeds, ready with a little syringe so that they don’t miss any of the feeds. Baby hummingbirds are incredibly fragile and that’s the miracle: that they survive this fragility, this vulnerability, and go on to be owners of the vast, luminous skies.
If that’s not a message for today, then I don’t know what is.
What’s so special about it? Plenty if you consider that baby hummingbirds need to be fed every 20 minutes. Yes. Every 20 minutes. Imagine Sy and Brenda, the caregiver, timing the feeds, ready with a little syringe so that they don’t miss any of the feeds. Baby hummingbirds are incredibly fragile and that’s the miracle: that they survive this fragility, this vulnerability, and go on to be owners of the vast, luminous skies.
If that’s not a message for today, then I don’t know what is.
May 14, 2021
I love Sy Montgomery's writing so much, her intimate address and her deft touch describing non-human creatures (though she also has a gift for characterization, as her portrait of her friend, the hummingbird rescuer who is also a gardener and sculpture, is also vivid). This is a slender book that I read at one sitting, but isn't that perfect for a description of tiny, whizzing, jewel-like birds whose bodies are mostly made of air? Montgomery joined her friend to nurture orphaned hummingbirds. They need to be fed every twenty minutes, and if the rescuer feeds them too much, they could pop! She packs the book with fascinating information about hummingbirds' anatomy (the iridescence comes from feather physiology rather than color!), migrations, speed, wings, and more. She also creates a suspenseful narrative about these two tiny baby birds and the many hazards that they face, from mites in their feathers to hummer competitors who will drive them off their food and make them starve. Montgomery connects the difficulty and care that goes into nurturing these tiny wondrous creatures with the effort and love necessary to repair and sustain our planet.
January 11, 2024
In this gem of a book, we are drawn into the story of one of the most beautiful and intriguing birds in nature. They are the lightest birds in the sky, and capable of incredible feats, like flying backwards and diving at 61MPH. They beat their wings more than 60 times a second. They are also vulnerable.
Brenda Sherburn is a rescuer of these birds at their most vulnerable. The author visits with her to document the successful rescue and rehabilitation of two baby hummers. She recounts the trials of raising these tiny birds and describes the world of hummingbirds. They are attracted to the color red, and can be injured flying into red cars, etc. Due to their fast metabolism, they consume half their body weight in bugs and nectar feeding every 10-15 minutes. They compete with each other for nectar bearing flowers, as well as predators, eagles, owls, cats and others.
Montgomery’s book is an experience not to be missed. It includes pictures that captures these beautiful birds exquisitely. This was a great book by an author who makes us aware of our animal world and appreciate them. It was a treat for readers who love hummingbirds. It was very informative and a beautiful story.
Brenda Sherburn is a rescuer of these birds at their most vulnerable. The author visits with her to document the successful rescue and rehabilitation of two baby hummers. She recounts the trials of raising these tiny birds and describes the world of hummingbirds. They are attracted to the color red, and can be injured flying into red cars, etc. Due to their fast metabolism, they consume half their body weight in bugs and nectar feeding every 10-15 minutes. They compete with each other for nectar bearing flowers, as well as predators, eagles, owls, cats and others.
Montgomery’s book is an experience not to be missed. It includes pictures that captures these beautiful birds exquisitely. This was a great book by an author who makes us aware of our animal world and appreciate them. It was a treat for readers who love hummingbirds. It was very informative and a beautiful story.
November 13, 2025
Very short (79 pages) story of the rehab and release of two baby Allen hummingbirds in Northern California, by an experienced and dedicated volunteer, assisted and documented by the author. The sibling hummingbirds have touch and go moments on their way to release but they are able to fly off at the end . . . lovely to learn a bit more about hummingbirds, lovely to see the dedication and cleverness of the volunteer (artist Brenda Shelburn). I would like to read more of Montgomery’s books . . .
May 7, 2021
4.5 my only complaint was to short! Amazing network to keep these flights of fancy going. Listened to audio, loved the end as you hear their flight, I was in the garden listening to the real thing at the same time.
May 6, 2024
We have a wildflower garden in our yard that attracts hummingbirds. I really enjoyed this short book about hummingbirds and a woman who helps care for and rehabilitate babies. These birds are such a miracle.
June 18, 2021
Sy Montgomery has written a lovely, informative book about hummingbirds and the rescue and rehabilitation work of Brenda Sherburn La Belle. The author spent some time helping with the rehabilitation of two orphans with Brenda. I found myself worrying if they would make it through to being released. The photographs are delightful and Ms. Montgomery also tells us about flowers we can plant to help hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. I am glad I live in an area that allows me to see these iridescent creatures and admire them all the more after reading this book.
June 16, 2022
I learned a lot about these magnificent creatures as they spend time in rehab, getting fed every 20 minutes. I felt like the writing was a bit too dramatic though.
January 6, 2024
A beautiful soliloquy on rescuing 2 baby hummingbirds. Amazing statistics and a miracle bird
July 10, 2021
One of Explore.org's most popular web cams is a hummingbird nest. Every year, hundreds of fans
pass by bear cams, sheep cams, dog cams, and even aurora cams to spend virtual time in a backyard in California watching hummingbirds feed, bathe, lay their eggs, and raise young. Hummingbirds are popular.
They're also, like all of our other pollinators, endangered.
Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery writes movingly of her experience helping an expert wildlife rehabilitator raise a pair of Allen's hummingbirds, left in the nest by their mother at only days old (the mother likely was killed). The homeowner who discovered this tragic situation rushed the nest and its rapidly declining occupants to rescue, and Brenda Sherburne La Belle and her husband Russ took over the care of the littles, joined a few days later by Sy, who flew in from her home in New Hampshire.
Fostering hummingbirds is intense, and Sy describes every feature of the process as she helps with the endless work. Baby hummers have to be fed every 20 minutes, a syringe delivering a solution of nectar and crushed fruit flies down their gullets into their bellies. The babies are tiny - the nest is the size of golfball - and so the quantity of food must be carefully measured. As the little ones grow, they can become fractious; born about two days apart, one is larger than the other, and in this case the larger one booted the smaller one out of the nest. Luckily Brenda hoards used nests and simply moved the smaller hummer into its own new home.
There is much drama - they eat, they don't eat, they're attacked by mites, and when it comes time to move out into the world, the two babies, named Maya and Zuni, find out that the other members of their species are highly aggressive. Fortunately Brenda, over the years, developed a system of slowly moving them out into the real world that gives them enough safety to explore their freedom. Finally, the day comes when they join the migration to spend winter in Mexico with the rest of their species.
Along with the story of Maya and Zuni, Montgomery interweaves a lot of information about hummingbirds, and the book is beautifully illustrated with color photos of many species of these flying jewels. The book is short - it can easily be read in a sitting - but it's beautiful and brings new appreciation not only for hummingbirds but the people who love them.
pass by bear cams, sheep cams, dog cams, and even aurora cams to spend virtual time in a backyard in California watching hummingbirds feed, bathe, lay their eggs, and raise young. Hummingbirds are popular.
They're also, like all of our other pollinators, endangered.
Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery writes movingly of her experience helping an expert wildlife rehabilitator raise a pair of Allen's hummingbirds, left in the nest by their mother at only days old (the mother likely was killed). The homeowner who discovered this tragic situation rushed the nest and its rapidly declining occupants to rescue, and Brenda Sherburne La Belle and her husband Russ took over the care of the littles, joined a few days later by Sy, who flew in from her home in New Hampshire.
Fostering hummingbirds is intense, and Sy describes every feature of the process as she helps with the endless work. Baby hummers have to be fed every 20 minutes, a syringe delivering a solution of nectar and crushed fruit flies down their gullets into their bellies. The babies are tiny - the nest is the size of golfball - and so the quantity of food must be carefully measured. As the little ones grow, they can become fractious; born about two days apart, one is larger than the other, and in this case the larger one booted the smaller one out of the nest. Luckily Brenda hoards used nests and simply moved the smaller hummer into its own new home.
There is much drama - they eat, they don't eat, they're attacked by mites, and when it comes time to move out into the world, the two babies, named Maya and Zuni, find out that the other members of their species are highly aggressive. Fortunately Brenda, over the years, developed a system of slowly moving them out into the real world that gives them enough safety to explore their freedom. Finally, the day comes when they join the migration to spend winter in Mexico with the rest of their species.
Along with the story of Maya and Zuni, Montgomery interweaves a lot of information about hummingbirds, and the book is beautifully illustrated with color photos of many species of these flying jewels. The book is short - it can easily be read in a sitting - but it's beautiful and brings new appreciation not only for hummingbirds but the people who love them.
January 2, 2024
Author of The Soul of an Octopus, naturalist Sy Montgomery documents the care of two infant hummingbirds as they are cared for by rehabilitator Brenda Sherburn La Belle in conjunction with WildCare, a wildlife hospital. These delicate creatures must be cared for and fed every 20 minutes until they grow to fledglings. These tiny birds were abandoned and found by a young, married couple and turned over to WildCare in hopes of their survival. Montgomery follows their growth and the issues that are faced during their care through the time they are finally released, an interesting event in itself.
Along the way, Montgomery explains how delicate these beautiful birds are, the myriad kinds of hummingbirds, and many details that contribute to their awesome beauty. Montgomery is a wonderful, engaging author.
Along the way, Montgomery explains how delicate these beautiful birds are, the myriad kinds of hummingbirds, and many details that contribute to their awesome beauty. Montgomery is a wonderful, engaging author.
September 6, 2021
This slight volume is an example of a publisher's packaging books for quick sale- maybe for Mother's Day. Sy Montgomery is a prolific nature writer whose writing oozes with her exuberant love of our fellow creatures. You certainly cannot fault that! A love of nature in this crazy world is a good thing. This is merely a chapter lifted from a previous volume about birds. It is nicely presented in this small hardcover with an additional introduction and beautiful photos. Montgomery's writing is lovely. And hummingbirds are quite fascinating. This book is a pleasant way to spend a few hours. I will admit to sometimes thinking to myself: all this effort for a couple of tiny, motherless birds. But that's just my small mind.
February 6, 2021
This is a jewel. As my husband's client once said of the video Heath produced for him, "It's short, very short. Good though!" Small like the birds she describes. An amazing amount of information in a little book. Nicely done! I was lucky enough to get an advance electronic copy in exchange for my honest review. I was surprised to have it come to an end so quickly. I love Sy Montgomery's writing so I just wish there was a bit more of it!
April 22, 2023
I enjoyed Montgomery's The Hawk's Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty, but thought that would be enough about her and birds for awhile. But then I saw the library also had this, and thought it looked kinda interesting...which is exactly what it was - kinda interesting.
The actual science around hummingbirds is truly fascinating, to the point of being darn near unbelievable at times - their wings beat 60 times/second, their hearts beat 500 times/minute, and they breathe 250 times/minute. They also visit an impossible 1500 flowers and eat 600-700 insects per day, drinking the equivalent of 15 gallons of nectar if scaled up to human size. They have the biggest hearts and consume the most food per body weight of any vertebrate - and yet baby hummingbirds are so small and delicate that if fed too much, they will pop.
And that's where this book starts to drag. While Montgomery worked the science in The Hawk's Way around the story of her actually learning the art of falconry (pretty cool), her personal entrée into The Hummingbird's Gift revolved around her helping a friend raise a pair of orphaned baby hummers so that they could be released back into the wild. And so we get a lot of information about baby hummingbirds…like, A LOT.
Have mentioned in nearly all my reviews of Montgomery's books, so hate to repeat myself - but for my tastes, her books would be a lot more interesting if she was in them a little less. But still, I seem to keep coming back to her, because she really does know her shit and is just so passionate about her love for animals and their behavior, even if she does get a little cringey at times.
Hawk's Way: 3+ stars rounded up; Hummingbird's Gift: 3+ stars rounded down.
The actual science around hummingbirds is truly fascinating, to the point of being darn near unbelievable at times - their wings beat 60 times/second, their hearts beat 500 times/minute, and they breathe 250 times/minute. They also visit an impossible 1500 flowers and eat 600-700 insects per day, drinking the equivalent of 15 gallons of nectar if scaled up to human size. They have the biggest hearts and consume the most food per body weight of any vertebrate - and yet baby hummingbirds are so small and delicate that if fed too much, they will pop.
And that's where this book starts to drag. While Montgomery worked the science in The Hawk's Way around the story of her actually learning the art of falconry (pretty cool), her personal entrée into The Hummingbird's Gift revolved around her helping a friend raise a pair of orphaned baby hummers so that they could be released back into the wild. And so we get a lot of information about baby hummingbirds…like, A LOT.
Have mentioned in nearly all my reviews of Montgomery's books, so hate to repeat myself - but for my tastes, her books would be a lot more interesting if she was in them a little less. But still, I seem to keep coming back to her, because she really does know her shit and is just so passionate about her love for animals and their behavior, even if she does get a little cringey at times.
Hawk's Way: 3+ stars rounded up; Hummingbird's Gift: 3+ stars rounded down.
November 29, 2023
I had the chance to meet Sy Montgomery at an event back in September. She was so kind. I purchased this book during the event. I learned a lot about hummingbirds! Pretty crazy line in here that if we ate the same amount of calories as a hummingbird we’d have to eat 150,000 calories in a day. Woah.
(My edition is autographed and dedicated. Really cool!)
(My edition is autographed and dedicated. Really cool!)
October 12, 2021
Nope. Mawkish and anthropomorphic in the extreme, this one had just enough scientific goodness to keep me reading to the end, but it was a slog. Montgomery's breathlessly dramatic delivery regarding the near-death of one of the birds seemingly every other page got pretty old. This is hummingbirds for the "Live, Laugh, Love" crowd, not for me.
August 21, 2025
So incredibly sweet, tender, and informative. I’ve always had a special love for and fascination with hummingbirds, but only recently started to learn more about them. This book was the perfect introduction to that.
The most magical, impressive, and hilariously fierce birds I’ve encountered.
The most magical, impressive, and hilariously fierce birds I’ve encountered.
May 18, 2021
A very easy, informative read on Hummingbirds and the rescue of two orphaned babies. Subtitle is very apt: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings. A quick, refreshing read.
January 7, 2022
A peek at the wonderousness of the Hummingbird. Fragile yet remarkably strong. Beautiful but mean. A teensy introduction.
July 3, 2021
We have hummingbird feeders in our garden and watch in wonder as they hover to feed, their wings moving so fast that they are just a blur. When I saw that there was a Goodreads Giveaway for this book I enthusiastically entered, the more so because the book is written by Sy Montgomery whose book “The Soul of an Octopus” had changed me from being repulsed by their shape to believing in their consciousness.
Many books about birds and animals just feed you with facts, but Sy Montgomery gives you understanding of her subject by making it personal, the scientist, journalist and nature lover all come together. The book details the time she spent observing and helping the work of Brenda Sherburn La Belle a sculptor and renowned hummingbird rehabilitator who raises rescued orphaned newly hatched hummingbirds.
The first information that amazed me was how tiny and fragile these baby birds are. Montgomery says that they are about the size of two bumble bees and, “diaphanous. Their delicate bones are exceptionally porous. Their legs are thinner than toothpicks; their feet as flimsy as embroidery threads.” As she participates in feeding of these birds, which has to be done every 20 minutes, Montgomery’s biggest fear is that a clumsy move will cause their air sac filled bodies to `pop.’ Only at night when the birds sleep are the carers able to get a few hours of rest.
Initially the two birds in the book are kept in a hummingbird nest that was found empty. This is placed inside an incubator that La Belle has constructed. By the time the birds had fledged a few days later, I was hooked, keeping my fingers crossed that they would make it. Over time they moved to cages where they could learn to feed themselves and fly, but the process was not without setbacks along the way where helping the birds sometimes put them at risk. The birds also had to learn not be intimidated by competitors in the wild, usually hummingbirds of a different type. I had always thought our hummingbirds were particularly aggressive, driving other hummingbirds away from the feeders. Evidently that is normal. Aerial warfare is the norm in the hummingbird world.
The photographs in the book by Tianne Strombeck are magnificent. From baby birds in the nest to birds in flight they do what good nature photographs should do, show you in detail things that you wouldn’t be able to appreciate as the birds flash by.
This is a gem of a book. Montgomery’s prose takes you along on her journey. You feel the suspense as La Belle uses her skills to help these tiny creatures return to the wild. La Belle’s commitment to giving the hummingbirds back to nature and seeing them there is very gratifying. Knowing that they are finally on their own and thriving makes a fine ending to this small but absorbing book.
Many books about birds and animals just feed you with facts, but Sy Montgomery gives you understanding of her subject by making it personal, the scientist, journalist and nature lover all come together. The book details the time she spent observing and helping the work of Brenda Sherburn La Belle a sculptor and renowned hummingbird rehabilitator who raises rescued orphaned newly hatched hummingbirds.
The first information that amazed me was how tiny and fragile these baby birds are. Montgomery says that they are about the size of two bumble bees and, “diaphanous. Their delicate bones are exceptionally porous. Their legs are thinner than toothpicks; their feet as flimsy as embroidery threads.” As she participates in feeding of these birds, which has to be done every 20 minutes, Montgomery’s biggest fear is that a clumsy move will cause their air sac filled bodies to `pop.’ Only at night when the birds sleep are the carers able to get a few hours of rest.
Initially the two birds in the book are kept in a hummingbird nest that was found empty. This is placed inside an incubator that La Belle has constructed. By the time the birds had fledged a few days later, I was hooked, keeping my fingers crossed that they would make it. Over time they moved to cages where they could learn to feed themselves and fly, but the process was not without setbacks along the way where helping the birds sometimes put them at risk. The birds also had to learn not be intimidated by competitors in the wild, usually hummingbirds of a different type. I had always thought our hummingbirds were particularly aggressive, driving other hummingbirds away from the feeders. Evidently that is normal. Aerial warfare is the norm in the hummingbird world.
The photographs in the book by Tianne Strombeck are magnificent. From baby birds in the nest to birds in flight they do what good nature photographs should do, show you in detail things that you wouldn’t be able to appreciate as the birds flash by.
This is a gem of a book. Montgomery’s prose takes you along on her journey. You feel the suspense as La Belle uses her skills to help these tiny creatures return to the wild. La Belle’s commitment to giving the hummingbirds back to nature and seeing them there is very gratifying. Knowing that they are finally on their own and thriving makes a fine ending to this small but absorbing book.
July 2, 2021
Sweet and very slight. This little book is a remix of a chapter from Montgomery's 2010 Birdology and reads mostly like a pleasant Sunday magazine piece, with the requisite infoscraps about these beautiful little creatures' heart rates, wingbeats, iridescence, and sheer tininess. The best part is about her friend Brenda, who is one of the few people who can manage to save, feed, and release orphaned baby hummingbirds, and Sy warmly hooks us into the sheer effort and emotion sunk into this tenuous, delicate work. Some handsome color photographs of random hummingbird species appeal, but only a few are of the birdlets in the story itself. Some editing gaffes: twice, in almost exactly the same words, we hear about why hummingbirds were called "resurrection birds," and how these fierce little beak-fighters are thought to be reincarnated warriors by some. It IS hard to come up with enough words to describe hummers, but the language sometimes tips over into greeting-card gush, and "gossamer" is used a few too many times.
Read Birdology instead. And for something considerably more nourishing, get Jon Dunn's The Glitter in the Green - see my review here.
Read Birdology instead. And for something considerably more nourishing, get Jon Dunn's The Glitter in the Green - see my review here.
Read
August 16, 2021If you've been gleefully watching hummingbirds at your feeders or in your garden this summer, check out this ode to the tiniest bird. In this quick read (clocking in at 83 pages), Sy Montgomery chronicles her weeks working with a volunteer hummingbird caretaker trying to rescue two infant Allen's hummingbirds. It's no small feat; the babies need to be fed every 20 minutes and touching them could rupture air sacs inside them and kill them. You'll come to care about these baby birds more than you would have imagined as you read their perilous story. Part wildlife rescue memoir, part information about hummingbird biology and lore, this tiny (hummingbird-sized!) book is a gem from one of my favorite nature writers.
July 31, 2023
Learn about hummingbirds from an inspiring woman who rescues and cares for them before releasing them back into the wild.
Ever since losing my mom 5.5 years ago, hummingbirds hold an even more special place in my heart because she loved them. The sound of their wings or calls nearby never cease to excite and amaze me, and I was so touched when a friend gifted me this book so I could learn more about them. I absolutely loved learning more about these beautiful birds and Brenda's hummingbird rescue program. Just like a hummingbird, this book was tiny but the joy it brought me made my heart burst with happiness. Thank you, Tina!
Location: Fairfax, California
Audiobook
Ever since losing my mom 5.5 years ago, hummingbirds hold an even more special place in my heart because she loved them. The sound of their wings or calls nearby never cease to excite and amaze me, and I was so touched when a friend gifted me this book so I could learn more about them. I absolutely loved learning more about these beautiful birds and Brenda's hummingbird rescue program. Just like a hummingbird, this book was tiny but the joy it brought me made my heart burst with happiness. Thank you, Tina!
Location: Fairfax, California
Audiobook
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