Hummingbird Study

We hope you can join us to study hummingbirds at a private residence on West Buttermilk Road either in the morning or the evening.

Birds are feats of physiology, design, and strength. Hummingbirds take it several steps further with their unique lifestyle and the physical adaptations that allow them to hover, sip nectar, migrate long distances, and build expandable nests. This immersive experience will provide you with the chance to see up to four different species and appreciate these flying gems in new ways. We will likely see three species (broad-tailed, black-chinned, and rufous), with a possibility of a fourth (calliope).  Life history and physiology information will be shared as we watch these hummingbirds in action at feeders and flowers.

Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Special attention will be given to orienting beginning birders to local habitats and their associated bird species, and basic field craft skills.

These outings meet in the Buttermilk Parking Lot at the class start time. Take the left hand turn off of Owl Creek Road and turn left into the first lot. We will carpool/caravan from there for the 5 minute drive to our field trip location

About the Instructor:
Rebecca Weiss is a birding guide and naturalist with thirty years of experience in the Aspen area and Colorado’s mountain regions. She is author of the local guidebook, Birds of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley and the primary guide for ACES’ Birding Program. She is a certified interpretive guide and holds a BS in Biology and a MA in Education. Rebecca’s professional background includes bird banding, field research, and conservation writing as well as outdoor education, program administration, and guide training. Past employers and affiliations include the National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Outward Bound, and the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab.