Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans - Sandra Kynes 2016

Hummingbird: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird
The Profiles

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

If I had to choose just one word to describe these tiny birds, it would be “amazing.” On its migration to winter roosts in Central America, a ruby-throated hummingbird has to fly five hundred miles in a single go to cross the Gulf of Mexico. Rather than flying a direct migration route back and forth, the rufous hummingbird makes a clockwise circuit of western North America each year. In addition, the rufous is known as one of the feistiest hummingbirds, standing its ground against bigger birds and even chasing chipmunks away from its nest.

Hummingbirds are well known for their aerobatics of flying straight and fast, stopping instantly, hovering, and even flying backward. John James Audubon (1785—1851) noted that they look like “glittering fragments of rainbows.” ⁸²

Explorers who accompanied Columbus on his voyages took note of these birds in the Caribbean. Unsure of what they were, they described hummingbirds as some kind of mix between bird and insect or butterfly. The Taino people of the Caribbean called hummingbirds colibri, meaning “god bird.” ⁸³ To the Taino, this bird symbolized rebirth.

Hummingbirds represented vitality to the Aztecs, who associated them with the sun and war. Warriors kept dead hummingbirds as talismans for success in battle. It was also believed that these warriors were eventually transformed into hummingbirds. While the purpose of the Nazca Lines remain a mystery, the hummingbird was considered important enough to the ancient people of Peru to be included as one of the giant geoglyphs. In the American Southwest, these birds were associated with rain by the Hopi and Zuni people, who depicted them on water jars.

Magical Workings

The strength and vitality of this tiny bird can be called upon to stoke courage and to call on the spirit of the warrior for spells of defense. Hummingbird also boosts spells for travel protection.

This bird aids in holding secrets and knowing when to be discreet. It is an honor to receive wisdom from it. Hummingbird’s association with the sun makes it an appropriate symbol for a Yule altar as we welcome the return of the sun. Also use an image or figurine of hummingbird to invoke the enchantment of Midsummer’s Eve, especially if you want to connect with fairies.

The energy of this bird can be instrumental to fostering motivation, independence, and optimism. Also call on hummingbird to aid with healing and issues of forgiveness.

Make Connection

To connect with hummingbird energy, gather a green agate and a red garnet or other green and red crystals to represent this little jewel of a bird. On a sunny day, stand outside with a crystal in each hand. As you feel the sun warm your body, close your eyes and hum just one note. As it reverberates through you, feel your energy rising as you visualize a tiny hummingbird hovering in front of you. When the image becomes clear, nod to the bird to acknowledge and honor it, and then let the experience run its course. Following this you may have dreams about hummingbirds.

Associations

Element(s): Air, fire

Sabbat(s): Litha

Trees: Birch, hackberry, hornbeam, maple, oak, pine, poplar

Flower: Sunflower

Solar system: Sun

Magical beings: Fairies

Bird Identification

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Size: 2½ to 3½ inches

Wingspan: 3 to 4 inches

Comparative size: Very small

Description: Slender, slightly down-curved bill; short wings; very short, black legs; metallic-green head, back, wings, and tail; whitish breast and belly

Male: Brilliant iridescent red throat

Female: White throat

Range: From Alberta, across southern Canada, south along the eastern half of the plains states to the East Coast, and into Mexico and Central America

Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, meadows, grasslands, parks, gardens, and backyards

Eggs: White

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)

Size: 2½ to 3½ inches

Wingspan: 3 to 4 inches

Comparative size: Very small

Description: Slender, nearly straight bill; fairly short wings; tail tapers to a point when folded

Male: Bright orange back and belly; vivid iridescent-red throat

Female: Green upperparts; brownish-red flanks and patches on green tail; spot of orange on throat

Range: From southeastern Alaska and British Columbia through the western United States to parts of Mexico and Central America

Habitat: Open areas, yards, parks, and forest edges up to tree line

Eggs: White

Collective noun(s): A bouquet, a glittering, a shimmer, or a charm of hummingbirds

82. Murphy-Hiscock, Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide, 99.

83. Esther Quesada Tyrrell, “Jewels of the Sky”, Islands Vol. 14, No. 6. (Nov—Dec 1994): 52—56.